Let's Take It From The Top
by dfcfanfics
Summary: Gabriel being humane? Chat on the run, with erratic powers? Marinette gets wings? Follow a reboot AU from the beginning, as two small changes have countless ripple effects on continuity, timing, romance and familiar scenes happening in new ways. And, yes, fluff will not be denied. 1/16: Our conclusion. When you wish upon a star...
1. Setting the Stage

MiraculElse #8: Let's Take It From The Top

by DFC

(Timeframe: Alllll the way back at the beginning. Pre-Origins.)

* * *

Chapter 1: Setting the Stage

* * *

Adrien Agreste walked down the front steps of Françoise Dupont High School, heading for his father's car, where his bodyguard sat impatiently behind the wheel. As he was leaving, he turned and called out to some of his classmates.

"See you tomorrow!" replied Nino, with a smile. Max and Kim looked up, gave him a quick wave in return and went back to their conversation. Most of the girls seemed largely unaffected, for better or worse, though he got some casual smiles. Chloé fell all over herself to holler out a warm "Goodbye, Adrien!", naturally enough.

He hesitated, briefly, watching someone in particular. One girl with reddish-brown hair - Alya, that's what her name was - said something to her dark-haired companion, a slim girl with twin pigtails. The girl turned and looked down at Adrien, her face revealing nothing.

Adrien waved to her, with a warm smile. She paused, weighing it in her mind... then gave a half-hearted wave back, turning quickly to resume her conversation with Alya.

He sighed a little, inside. _I'll keep trying,_ he thought, then climbed into the car and headed home.

* * *

Alya Césaire dropped her previous topic of conversation, now that something more interesting was in the air. "Did you see that?" she asked her companion. "I'm telling you, I think Adrien's kind of into you, Marinette!"

Marinette Dupain-Cheng frowned slightly. "Oh, I don't think so... And I kind of hope not."

Alya gave her a look, making Marinette reply, "What?"

"You don't think he's attractive?" Alya teased. "He IS a fashion model. And he seemed pretty nice when I talked to him."

"Oh, he's not _ugly_ at all, obviously. He's got nice eyes, I'll give him that," shrugged Marinette. "But Chloé's pretty, too, right up to the moment where she opens her mouth or does anything at all."

"He did one thing that Chloé's never done before," prodded Alya. "Didn't you tell me that he apologized again for the gum incident?"

"Yeah," she admitted. "We talked out here on the steps yesterday after school. He swore up and down that Chloé put it there and he was trying to take it off, and I do kind of believe him, which is why I'm talking to him at all now. But I wasn't quite sure if I could take him seriously... He even tried to give me his umbrella to walk home with, and I was, like, I live right over there and it's barely raining, anyway! Nice try, honey."

"Don't rule him out yet, that's all I'm saying to you," her friend replied. "He may know Chloé, but he isn't Chloé."

"I know," said Marinette, rolling her eyes a little. "I'm not _trying_ to dislike him, or anything, but it's just... he made the worst first impression in the world, you know? And he's not Chloé - thank _God_ \- but he is from her world. Fame and glitz and celebrity stuff. Maybe he can win me over eventually, but I'm just not into that kind of person right now."

* * *

Adrien sat in the back seat of the car, his mood somewhat mixed.

Nathalie turned to him from the passenger seat. "So... now that you've had a few days to experience it, is public school what you were hoping it would be?" she inquired.

"Mostly," he shrugged. "The classes are interesting, and it's really good to be among people my own age for a change. I've made a few friends so far, which is something I really wanted."

"Yes, I saw that... Nino, I think his name was?... came over yesterday. I'm not sure your father's crazy about him, but he seemed nice to me. Who was that dark-haired girl you were watching?" asked Nathalie.

Adrien grinned. "You don't miss a thing, do you?"

"I'm paid not to," she smiled in return. "Someone you're interested in?"

"I wouldn't go THAT far, but..." he started. "Her name's Marinette. Her family owns the bakery across the street. She seems really sweet from what I've seen of her, but Chloé pulled one of her stunts and really screwed things up for me when we first met."

"Hmmph," Nathalie smirked. "That sounds like Chloé. She's got the personality of a road accident."

"Long story short," Adrien explained, "she put gum on Marinette's seat, I went to take it off, and it looked like I was the one who put it there when Marinette walked over. I apologized and tried to explain, and I hope she believed me, but I looked like a real heel."

"Just be yourself," advised Nathalie. "You're a pleasant young man. She'll come around."

"I hope so," he said, eyes downward. "I'm not, like, crushing on her or anything... but she just seems like a completely REAL person, you know? Someone who would be an amazing friend if she gives me a chance to be one. If it doesn't work out, I just feel like it's a really big missed opportunity, somehow."

"Give it time. The school year's, what, four days old? You have plenty of time to make it up to her."

"I hope so," said Adrien, quietly.

* * *

Entering the front foyer, Nathalie ran down Adrien's schedule for the rest of the afternoon. "Piano next, Chinese at six, and you do know that you're doing reshoots for the new line on Saturday now, instead of Sunday?"

"Yeah, Dad told me about that. I'll be ready," he answered.

"Good. I have some things to take care of," she replied, as the bodyguard headed off to his quarters and she prepared to do the same. "Your father's probably up in his office."

Adrien thanked her again as he headed upstairs, hoping to catch his father in an unoccupied moment and, well, actually _talk_ to him for a change. He approached his father's private office, stopping when he heard a conversation in progress... then heard some of it, and became even more curious.

"You've given me a lot to think about, Nooroo," his father said. "I'm not sure that I see completely eye-to-eye with you regarding the potential... opportunities that you present, but with what's at stake I do not wish to act hastily."

 _Nooroo? Who the heck is Nooroo?_ thought Adrien. _An odd name. Maybe someone from one of our Asian or Indian clients?_

He heard a strange, tiny voice that he didn't recognize. "I am very glad that you're willing to listen, Master," it began.

 _MASTER?_

 _What in the WORLD?_

"These powers do have unlimited potential... both for good and for evil. If you were to simply use them for your own personal ends, the repercussions could be severe, both for yourself and for those whom you care about. I just want you to hear me out and consider all sides of this," the tiny voice continued.

"I will. We will discuss this again later; I have some business to attend to at the moment. Thank you, Nooroo," he replied.

Adrien heard Gabriel stand up after finishing that sentence, and ducked back to the hallway, peering around the corner. _I don't like to snoop, but now I'm really curious what THAT was all about!_ he thought to himself.

Gabriel stepped out into the room, moved a picture out of the way to reveal a safe, and opened it quickly. Adrien saw him place something shiny inside, close everything up, and close the door behind him after returning to his office.

 _Dad hides stuff behind a portrait of Mom?_ Adrien wondered. _I don't want to go through his private stuff... but what the heck would he keep in there?_

He crept forward quietly, making sure no one was there to see him, and moved the portrait aside to see the safe behind it. _Dad may be a brilliant businessman... but he's always been hopeless with codes and passwords,_ Adrien grinned. He tried a couple of familiar combinations, and on the third try the safe opened.

Adrien looked inside, his eyes wide. A picture of his mother leaped out at him at first glance. There was an incredibly old book, well-preserved, with intricate designs on its cover. A flyer from a hotel in Tibet, some old junk, a black ring with a circular design... _That's an odd thing for him to keep, not really his style at all_... and a oval brooch, in purple, that he remembered seeing his father wearing recently.

The book in particular made him curious, but his better instincts reasserted themselves and he closed up the safe without touching anything in it, restoring the portrait over it. _If I took that book and messed it up somehow, Dad would murder me. That looks like something that'd be REALLY hard to replace. But what does what was in there have to do with... whoever he was talking with a moment ago?_

Shrugging, Adrien went back to his room, readying for another battle with his piano and the works of Rachmaninoff. So far, the score was something like Rachmaninoff 12, Adrien 3, but there was plenty of time for a comeback.

* * *

The next day at school, Adrien did his best to pay attention to his teachers... but his mind kept drifting back to the strange conversation he'd overheard the day before, and what he'd found afterwards. _A mysterious compartment, an ancient book, something to do with Tibet_ , he pondered. _Dad's acted a little strangely ever since that trip he took there. The weird jewelry, especially the brooch... and someone in the room with him, calling him 'Master,' then whoever that was disappeared? Did Dad find Aladdin's magic lamp or something?_

 _I'm just POSITIVE that there was a time when some of my life made sense_ , Adrien thought.

He forced his mind back to his schoolwork, reluctantly. Dwelling on this wasn't going to do him any good right now.

Adrien peeked to his right, where Marinette was in her usual (and thankfully gum-free) seat across the aisle, the row where Chloé and Sabrina had banished her and Alya. As if sensing his gaze, Marinette paused in her writing and looked his way, inquisitively.

Caught looking, Adrien blushed a little, and looked away. Marinette stared at him for a moment, half-smiling to herself, then returned to what she'd been working on. _Okay, I'll admit it, he IS cute..._ she thought to herself, _but a little strange._

* * *

Marinette stayed a short while late after school, helping Rose out with an art project she was having trouble with. Afterwards, she walked home as usual, entering through the front door of her parents' bakery.

"Hello, dear. How was your day?" her mother asked, cheerfully.

"Pretty good. The usual," replied Marinette. "How was business today?"

"Not bad! We had a bit of a rush in the morning, which was nice. Those eclairs your father made flew off the rack," said Sabine. "Oh, and someone was asking for you this afternoon..."

"They were? Who was it?" asked Marinette, surprised.

"A blonde boy, your age, I hadn't seen him before. Very cute," her mother grinned. "He said he'd heard we had the best pastries in Paris, and I told him he heard correctly. He bought some things and asked me to tell you he'd said hello. Someone from your school?"

"Oh... HIM," said Marinette, with a curious expression on her face that Sabine couldn't quite read. _A little happy about it... but not entirely,_ her mother thought. _Not quite what I expected._

"Not a friend?" asked Sabine, concerned.

"He... could be, maybe," her daughter explained. "That's Adrien Agreste. He's new in our school this year; he's the son of Gabriel Agreste, the big fashion designer. Rumor has it he wanted to try the other side of life this year, so he's in public school now. I've only talked to him a couple of times. Once not so pleasantly, but he's improved since then." She added, with a grin, "He could have at least arranged to send Chloé to a private school in his place."

"Oh, be nice. Chloé teaches everyone around her many valuable things! Character, restraint, how to hold back and not to get locked up for assault and battery..." her mother laughed.

"She exhales carbon dioxide, which is good for plants. That's about all the benefit of the doubt I'll ever give her," groaned Marinette. "That's... all Adrien said?"

"That's it," Sabine confirmed. "No secret love notes, no serenading you on your balcony, just hello."

"That's nice enough, then," mused Marinette. "Weird that it happened, though. Okay if I head up and relax until dinner?"

"Sure, go ahead," said Sabine. "I'll call you down when it's ready."

Going up the stairs, Marinette pondered the situation. _Maybe I am being a little harsh on him,_ she considered, _and he's just trying to make up for that_.

 _Or... maybe Alya is right, and he's got a schoolboy crush on me already._ The notion amused her; THAT would be a first for anyone, to her knowledge.

 _If he does... what the heck am I going to do about THAT?_

* * *

Adrien was finishing up his homework in his room that evening, when his father entered. "Hello, Son," Gabriel greeted him. "You're sure you don't want to go with me to the art show down by the Louvre tonight?"

"Not really. I have a few things here I need to catch up on," Adrien replied. "Though I do appreciate the invitation."

"It's nothing. Honestly, I think it'll be a dreary little affair, but I didn't want to leave you out if you were interested. I should be back here around ten; Nathalie will be downstairs if you need anything," Gabriel added.

"Got it. Have fun there, if you can," smiled his son.

About half an hour later, making sure that his father wasn't going to have forgotten something and returned unexpectedly, Adrien put his book down and went on the prowl. _I'm still going to leave that book alone,_ he thought, _but maybe Dad has something on his computer about it? If I was him, I'd have scanned as much of it as I could to keep the original intact._

He snuck upstairs into his father's office and turned on his computer. The password stopped him at first, which made him hesitate about continuing, but his knowledge of his father's habits rewarded him again and he gained access. _Dad changed his password from "solitude" to "S0litude." I guess Nathalie's lectures about good password habits only sunk in so far,_ he grinned.

Once again, he tried not to leave any traces or probe TOO deeply... but after a few minutes, he found precisely what he was looking for, in the form of digital scans of the pages of the book in the safe. The cover scan matched what he'd seen there exactly, so he dove in.

The page scans had digital notes all over them. Some looked like his father's handiwork, while some were more cryptic. Adrien could read a couple of words here and there on the pages themselves - _I guess those Chinese lessons really are paying off,_ he laughed - but far more of the text was in a different language. _Possibly in code, too_ , Adrien reasoned.

The artwork needed no translation, however; it was fantastic! Adrien's eyes widened looking at drawings of figures from all over history, wearing a wide variety of costumes themed after animals. _They look like... superheroes, almost!_ thought Adrien, amazed. _But since when were there superheroes back in the Han Dynasty? Or medieval England, judging from that one's outfit? Or... in Tibet?_

Much of the focus seemed to be on two central figures; one with red-and-black spots, reminiscent of a beetle's shell, and one feline figure in black. Their pages were covered in handwritten notes, cryptic references, digital comments, theory fragments... Adrien couldn't make heads or tails of most of it. One broken phrase kept recurring:

 **Invoke / two / Cast your wish.**

 _Wishes, huh? Dad's a little old for fairy tales._

He paged through the book some more, and gasped. On a page featuring some kind of butterfly or moth designs... he saw the exact brooch he'd seen in the safe downstairs, hand-drawn but a perfect match! Quickly, he scanned through the rest and found another perfect match, featuring a black ring that also looked extremely familiar.

Quickly, he restored the computer to its original state, went back to his room and laid on his bed, his head spinning.

 _This is ridiculous. This HAS to be research for some new fantasy-inspired clothing line Dad's working on... some weird new set of designs, right? This is the real world. There's no such thing as magic, or wishes, or superheroes..._

 _But who WAS this 'Nooroo' that Dad was talking to, then? And why are the book and the jewelry locked away in the safe?_

Adrien wrestled with his emotions for a few more minutes, then sat up abruptly.

 _I HAVE to know what's going on here._

* * *

One quick stroll, one moved portrait and one entered code later, Adrien was face-to-face with his father's hidden cache of objects once again.

 _So... now what?_

He reached for the brooch... then pulled his hand back, thinking better of it, and reached for the ring instead. _For some reason, this just feels more... right. Maybe because I don't usually wear brooches. Plus, if Dad has been wearing this, he'd notice it missing first. Not that I'm going to be keeping this ring, am I? Ah, I don't know what I'm really doing right now..._

Adrien held up the ring, examining it from all angles. It looked solidly made, clearly of clever and quality workmanship, but didn't leap out at him otherwise.

He held it aloft, jokingly wondering what would activate the genie or whatever lurked within. "In brightest day, in darkest night?" he called out, quietly. "A la peanut butter sandwiches? Thing Ring, do your thing?"

Nothing happened.

"Heh," Adrien chuckled to himself. "What did I really think would happen?" He slipped the ring onto his index finger. "At least it's my size, and-"

A bright white flash canceled that particular thought.

* * *

Next time:

* Adrien, meet Plagg. Plagg, this is Adrien.

* Chat Noir, meet Nooroo. Nooroo, why do you look so alarmed?

* Nathalie, meet... wait, who IS that, anyway?

* Master Fu and Wayzz... meet one of your nightmares.

* Paris... hope you're ready for this!


	2. The Opening Act

Let's Take It From The Top, Chapter 2: The Opening Act

* * *

Adrien recoiled in fear... only to see the bright light replaced by a tiny, floating, harmless-looking black cat.

"No WAY!" marveled Adrien. "Like the genie in the lamp!"

The cat grinned at him. "I met him once. So he grants wishes.. big deal! I'm way more personable! Plagg. Nice to meet you. About time your dad gave me to somebody."

"Plagg? That's your name?" asked Adrien. "And he didn't exactly... _give_ you to me..."

"Give, take; possession is nine-tenths of the law. Doesn't bother me how I got here... Yes, kid, I'm Plagg. And you are?" replied the cat.

"I'm Adrien," he said. "Let me do this first..." He closed the safe and restored the portrait to its original position. "C'mon, let's... um... talk!"

Adrien and his surprising new friend headed for his room. The moment they reached the door, Plagg took off flying rapidly, checking out everything he could reach.

"No! Don't touch that! Come back here!" Adrien called, as Plagg approached his foosball table, then his computer, then a video game.

"Ohh! So shiny! Can you eat this? No, you can't. Ooh, what about this?" babbled Plagg.

* * *

Across town, a small green figure flew to the side of an old man, as quickly as it could.

"What is it, Wayzz?" asked Master Fu, sensing his distress.

"Master, the Black Cat Miraculous!" panted Wayzz. "I felt its aura! It, too, has been awakened!"

"What?" the old man gasped. "I thought it had been lost forever!"

Wayzz grimaced. "I thought I felt both it and the Moth awaken over the past week - just a flicker from each, so I wasn't sure. If it was the Cat awakening, he went back to sleep very soon after. The Moth's was a little stronger. But this time, there's no doubt - Plagg is active."

"Hmmph! It's likely, then, that one person has recovered both. Them popping up separately at the same time would be too much of a coincidence. What else do you sense from the Cat?"

"It is not a negative aura," said Wayzz. "I feel no evil in it! Not yet, at least. But that it has awakened at all..."

"Indeed," worried Master Fu. "If it was one of the lesser Miraculouses, it could spread evil upon the world. But the Black Cat... could literally DESTROY it if misused! This is a _most_ serious emergency."

He ran to his hidden jewelry box, taking a quick inventory. The twelve Zodiac Miraculouses, the Bee, the Peacock, the Fox and the Ladybug were all in place, and the Turtle remained on Master Fu's wrist. Only the Moth and the Black Cat were unaccounted for.

"What will we do?" asked Wayzz. "The Cat has activated _right here in Paris!_ "

"Good! That will help us locate its host more quickly. But at my age... I will need help."

"Oh, come on, Master. You're only a hundred and eighty-six..." the Kwami replied.

"That's enough, don't you think?" chided Master Fu. "I will go out and see if I can locate a suitable candidate. If the Cat is loose, only the Ladybug stands a chance of capturing him, should that become necessary."

"Who might be a suitable Ladybug in this day and age?" Wayzz wondered.

"I have no idea... yet."

* * *

Adrien crept up on the wandering Plagg, leapt suddenly, and grabbed him with both hands. "Okay, so I called you into existence, somehow. I still don't know what you're doing here," he said.

Plagg shrugged. "Look, I'm a Kwami. I grant powers. Yours is the power of destruction, got it?"

Adrien shook his head, negatively. "Uh-uh."

"Good. Now, you got anything to eat? I'm starving..." Plagg quipped, prying himself loose and taste-testing the room again.

"I'm serious, Plagg! I read some of that book, I saw the figures in costume, from all over history... is that what you do?" Adrien asked, intently. "Transform people? Do magic?"

"That's a decent way to put it, I guess," allowed Plagg. "If you say the magic words - and where the heck did you get 'A la peanut butter sandwiches' from, kid? - you will become Chat Noir, have amazing powers, and hold pure destruction in your hand when you need it."

"Whoa," Adrien muttered, a bit overwhelmed. "Okay. So... by any chance, do you know a Nooroo?"

Plagg spun around, astonished. "NOOROO is here, too? The Moth Miraculous? Wow, your father is quite the collector!"

"How do you know my father, anyway?" asked Adrien, cautiously.

"He put the ring on, briefly. I told him who and what I was, he thanked me for explaining, then he put me back to sleep," Plagg responded. "He must've talked with Nooroo already and learned what Miraculouses are, because he didn't freak out when he saw me. And now, here _you_ are."

"Yeah, here I am. So... tell me more about who I can become," Adrien asked...

* * *

Adrien listened to Plagg's brief recitation of the basics: transformation words, Chat Noir's powers, Cataclysm, the time limit, Miraculouses in general.

"And 'Invoke two... cast your wish.' What is THAT all about?" asked Adrien.

Plagg stared at him. "You... DID actually read the book! I thought you were kidding about that."

"I could only read a little. I'm learning Chinese, but most of the book wasn't in Chinese. Other people had left notes and comments, though. So what does that mean?"

Plagg flew up close. "Listen close, kid. That's some POWERFUL magic that you _don't_ want to mess around with. If you invoke both Creation and Destruction at the same time, you can make a wish with their combined power. It'll come true. But there would be huge side effects, and..."

"For real? A _wish?"_ muttered Adrien.

"Yes, BUT..."

Adrien's mind trailed off as Plagg lectured him on dangerous magic and needing specific Miraculouses and rituals that CAN'T BE INTERRUPTED BECAUSE THEY'RE EXTREMELY DANGEROUS IF THEY ARE, ARE YOU LISTENING TO ME, HUMAN? and balance in the universe. He couldn't help it. It was as if the tiny cat had said "oh, by the way, this lever right here makes you win the lottery" and expected him not to lunge for it. His rational thought process was tucked away in a box in the back of his mind, labeled "Come back for this later."

 _There's one thing I want more in the world than anything else... and it might actually be POSSIBLE?_ _How to make it happen_ _might be right here, LITERALLY in my hands?_

 _This all sounds insane!_ he thought. _But so is the idea that I'm arguing about wishes right now, in my room, with a tiny floating cat genie who's glaring at me._

"Creation and Destruction," Adrien mused... "...and you're Destruction."

"Yep, that's me," grinned Plagg.

"And the Moth can create superpowers... so that must be CREATION! I've got it, I can DO this! Plagg, CLAWS OUT!"

Plagg looked panicked. "No, wait! I haven't finished explaininnnnnnnggggggggg..." he called out, as he was sucked into the ring and the transformation began.

* * *

 _This is UNBELIEVABLE!_

Chat Noir bounced around the room like a Superball. He was something of an athlete already, between martial arts and fencing... but this was power, agility, and speed like he'd never DREAMED of possessing!

He tried out the baton, launching himself across his room and nearly whacking the ceiling. Laughing, he tumbled back down to the floor and landed cleanly. _I probably would've broken both legs landing from that height, if I was myself! This costume is the real deal!_

 _There are so many things I can do with this! Save people... fight crime... join the French national football team..._

Chat paused. _But that can wait. Before I think of myself... there's someone else whom I need to help first._

* * *

A few minutes later, Nooroo felt the pull of awakening once more. "Hello again, Master. Have you... AAAAGGGH!"

The Kwami froze at the realization that it was not Gabriel Agreste holding its brooch... but an unknown Chat Noir!

"Hello... Nooroo, right?" Chat smiled. "Pleased to meet you."

"Yes, I'm... Nooroo. YOU'RE not... you're _Gabriel's_ son, aren't you?" mumbled Nooroo, trying to come to terms with the situation. "How did you get this Miraculous... and HOW did you get the Black Cat, too? This is highly-"

"Relax, Nooroo! I'll put you right back when I'm done. I just need to borrow your power for a minute," said Chat.

"When you're done... what?" asked Nooroo, unsettled. "What is it that you think that you're going to-"

"Nooroo... TRANSFORM ME!"

* * *

Chat Noir looked himself over. One Miraculous transformation was crazy enough - getting used to being a superpowered cat-man was going to take a lot of time and practice - but TWO at once was _really_ freaky! Now, his costume was a combination of black and silver, with strange accents and highlights all over it and small white butterflies floating around him.

 _What do you know, Plagg was right!_ he thought. _The generic transformation words worked just as well._

 _Okay! So... I've invoked two Miraculouses, but I didn't really see any instructions on how to cast my wish. Plagg said something about a ritual, but I don't know what that involves, so I guess I'll just... try it and see what happens? Figure it out from there?_

Chat sat on the floor, in his best impression of a meditative position. He focused his thoughts inward, and thought to himself...

 _I wish... I had my mother back._

 _I wish... I had my mother back._

 _I wish... I had my mother back._

* * *

He opened his eyes. Nothing had happened, as far as he could tell.

 _Of course nothing happened! This is all ridiculous. Magic isn't real, stupid!_

Looking down at himself, he thought, _And magic not being real explains where this costume and Plagg came from, right?_

 _There's more to it than just wishing out loud. Of course there is. Do I need to be in a specific place, or say specific words, or what?_

Chat reopened the safe and picked up the book, very gingerly. He rummaged through its pages, but got nothing new out of it; less, actually, than he'd gotten from the annotations on his father's digital copy. Frustrated, he put it back where he found it, careful not to damage it.

 _What else did Plagg tell me about? Maybe the wish needs the hidden powers to be activated to work_ , he considered.

* * *

Downstairs, Nathalie was trying to process some projections for a new clothing line, but kept getting distracted.

 _What IS that boy doing?_ she wondered. _He keeps running back and forth, and now he's yelling something about 'transforming'... I can't get any work done like this. I'd better go see what he's up to._

She closed her folder and marched upstairs, muttering something unpleasant.

* * *

Chat reached for one of the butterflies and held it in his hand. He placed his other palm over it and concentrated, and a glowing energy filled it, changing the butterfly from white to a radiant silver color. It rested quietly in his left palm.

 _Wow! Okay, that's one half of it. Now..._

"CATACLYSM!" he called out... and a furious roar of black energy filled his right hand, ready to disintegrate whatever it touched.

He looked over his hands, amazed and a bit taken back by what he saw. _Look at me! You're a wizard, Adrien!_

 _...Am I about to do something amazingly stupid here?_ he wondered. _I am so out of my depth right now. What if I screw this up?_

 _But I've come this far... I have to try again. Try harder... make this work... for you, Mom._

Chat concentrated hard on the whirling energies in each hand, light and darkness swirling, slowly moving them towards each other. He reduced his consciousness to one repeated thought:

 _I want my mother back._

 _I WANT MY MOTHER BACK._

 _I WANT-_

A hand reached for his shoulder and grabbed him roughly, throwing him completely off-balance. "WHO in the HELL are YOU and WHAT are you DOING in this house? I-" she yelled.

The energies contacted each other abruptly as Chat stumbled...

A pungent explosion filled the room, throwing both woman and cat several meters away!

* * *

"NATHALIE!" screamed Chat Noir, horrified, once he got some of his senses back. She was flat on her back, breathing but unmoving.

 _What the HECK was that? It has to be something about the combination of Miraculous energies..._ he thought, in a panic. _I need to get RID of this other one!_

"Nooroo, TRANSFORM ME!" he called out, and reverted to his black cat form. Ripping the brooch off and throwing it aside, he ran to Nathalie to see if she was badly hurt. As far as he could tell, there were no visible injuries, but she was unresponsive and her breathing was shallow.

Quickly, he grabbed his cell phone and dialed Emergency, calling for an ambulance at his address. He heard pounding footsteps coming his way, surely his bodyguard rushing to find out what had just happened.

 _Think FAST, Adrien! If your bodyguard runs in and you're dressed like this, he'll pound you to a pulp because he won't know who you are. But if you transform back now... what'll happen to you? How will anyone ever believe a shaggy dog story about magic and cat genies? They'll think you attacked her!_

 _Nathalie... what did I DO to you? I'm SO SORRY! I didn't mean... I didn't mean any of this..._

A rush of adrenaline and panic swept over the young man. _I_ _have to get OUT OF HERE! NOW!_

The bodyguard hurtled up the steps, three at a time, rushing to Nathalie's side... and all he saw was a blur of black leather dashing around the corner, then leaping out of Adrien's open window before anyone could catch up to him.

In a blur of motion, he was gone.

* * *

Before Chat Noir even realized what he was doing, he was moving at top speed, bouncing up and over rooftops, putting as much distance between him and the disaster he'd just caused as possible.

 _WHOA! I'm, like, almost FLYING!_ he thought, forcing himself to come to a brief halt on a particularly high roof. _And I leaped up here like it was NOTHING!_

 _And I... do NOT... feel good..._

He sank to one knee, the adrenaline overload and guilt both catching up to him abruptly. _Did I just KILL Nathalie? Or MAIM her?_ filled his young head.

 _Stop it,_ he ordered himself. _She was breathing and looked decent when you ran off, your bodyguard was right there with her, and you called Emergency to come help her. They will do everything they can for Nathalie. If they CAN do anything..._

 _STOP IT! The more I dwell on it right now, the worse I'll be. I have to figure out what to do now._

 _Where am I going to go? I can't go home like this. I don't know if I can go home, PERIOD. Dad will know that I messed with his magical doodads and screwed everything up and maybe hurt or killed Nathalie! That's a BIT more than breaking curfew..._

 _I can't face him yet. Or Nathalie. I have to figure out what in the world I can say to any of them._

 _But right now, I have to keep moving..._

He vaulted off the roof, unsteadily.

* * *

Wayzz flew to Master Fu again... who was unsurprised by his approach. "A disruption so large... even _I_ sensed that," he muttered. "Our mystery Chat Noir has wasted no time. Wayzz, what can you tell me?"

"The Moth has reawakened, as well. So you were right; whoever had the one, likely had both. They tried to do... something in combination. I'm not sure what, but it backfired badly," worried the Kwami.

"Hmmph! So someone has some understanding of the nature of the Miraculouses... and very few people on Earth have that! But an incomplete understanding. They must've mistaken the Moth for the Ladybug, tried to invoke them together, and not known the consequences! And now we are all in _very_ big trouble."

"What would that particular combination do when invoked, Master? I don't recall it ever having been tried," Wayzz asked.

"I have no idea! Because it _has_ never been tried, to my knowledge. The side effects of a miscast invocation could be minor, or they could be catastrophic," the old man grumbled. "So now we have a Black Cat host in an unknown state, with pure destruction in his grasp, roaming Paris. You _still_ sense no evil in him?"

"I don't think so," puzzled Wayzz. "Not so much evil as a profound sadness. Whatever happened, I think this person didn't intend it, and regrets it deeply. The Moth was deactivated again almost instantly. He or she isn't out there to hurt people, which is our one comfort."

"A thin comfort. Not _trying_ to hurt people, but it may have happened already." Master Fu shook his head. "I must find a new Ladybug. And quickly!"

* * *

Gabriel Agreste sat in a chair at an art unveiling, bored out of his mind. _We may need to stay on good terms with this client, for business reasons... but attending their CEO's wife's art show is like pulling teeth. The woman's skills are pedestrian at best, and her vision tedious. If Adrien had come along, he'd be hiding in the bathroom by now,_ he smiled.

Gabriel's phone buzzed with an incoming text message, then another, then another in rapid succession. He looked down at it, annoyed, seeing that they were coming from his son's bodyguard. _What does that fool want now? I told him that..._

 _That..._

The businessman rose to his feet quickly, rushing to gather his belongings. "My apologies, Francois, Ariane... I have an emergency at my home! Something dreadful has happened!"

He ran for the door, typing back as fast as he could, demanding answers. What had happened? Who was responsible? Was Nathalie in an ambulance yet? Would she be all right? _Where was his son?_

The lack of answers on that last one chilled him most of all.

* * *

 _I am... not going to make it much further_ , thought Chat. _Whatever that explosion did to me, it really drained me! And my ring keeps beeping, for some reason. Plagg said something about that, but I can't think right now._

 _Next question... where am I?_

His blurry eyes looked around and saw a couple of reasonably familiar landmarks. _I think I'm near the school. Lots of places to hide there. Not sure if I'll make it that far, though._

Across the street, he saw a small balcony with some lounge chairs and plants on it. _Maybe... yeah, that. I'll just go there, curl up for the night, try to sleep... no one will ever know I was there..._

He hopped across the street with all the grace and dexterity of a drunken rhino, plopped down on the deck, and crawled towards a chair before passing out.

Once more, his ring beeped, followed by a flash of white light.

* * *

Marinette lay on her stomach on her bed, her feet up behind her, listening to some music in her pajamas before trying to go to sleep. She let her mind wander, much like the pencil on her sketchpad was wandering. So far, she'd come up with the beginnings of a landscape drawing, a women's overcoat design that needed some work, and-

*TH-WHUMP!*

 _What in the HECK was that?_ she thought, jumping from her bed abruptly. _Did someone just drop a bear on my roof? Whatever it was, that hit HARD._

She listened, and didn't hear any movement from downstairs. _Mom and Dad are notoriously sound sleepers, but how did THAT not wake them up?_ she wondered. _I could go get Dad... but I know he has to be up bright and early, baking, and I'd hate to make him get up now. Or..._

Marinette picked up a baseball bat that she kept in her room for just such an emergency. _Or I could go see if that was Santa Claus making a wrong turn, or if someone is messing with the wrong girl tonight._

Cautiously, she climbed the ladder to the roof and popped the hatch open. "Who's there?" she called out, putting all the gruffness and fear-my-mighty-wrath that she could behind a fourteen-year-old schoolgirl's gentle voice.

There was no response.

 _Okay..._

She climbed up onto the balcony, looking around quickly, with bat in hand. "If someone is messing around with me, they're going to regret... it?"

A figure was laying very still next to one of her lounge chairs, having tried to pull himself up onto one of them and fallen short.

Instinctively, Marinette dropped the bat - this sure didn't _look_ like a potential threat to her - and ran to the figure's side. She rolled him over...

"ADRIEN?" she called out, in shock. _Adrien Agreste, passed out on my roof?_ "What... how...?"

 _I've heard of trying too hard to get a girl's attention,_ an errant part of her thought, _...but this is ridiculous._

* * *

Next time:

* "If you would like to get hit, by all means, please continue."

* Wings are spread.

* Decisions are made.

* Contact is achieved.

* And the dance begins in earnest...


	3. The Audience Settles In

Let's Take It From The Top, Chapter 3: The Audience Settles In

* * *

Slowly, Adrien Agreste opened his eyes. He heard a pleasant voice calling his name, but at first he couldn't place it, and he struggled to make sense of his surroundings.

 _Something smells... really nice! So it's definitely not my room; I have laundry piled up. Kind of... lavender-ish, but also like cinnamon. Like there are cookies nearby._

 _I could really go for some cookies right now._

 _I don't think that's why I'm here, though._

Slowly, shapes before his eyes began to resolve into meaningful things.

 _Pink. I see a lot of pink. Is this a girl's room?_

 _I'm laying on something comfortable. A sofa or a bed, maybe. It smells nice, too._

 _That's a person, leaning over me. Of course it is. I see dark hair. Blue eyes. Pretty eyes! It is a girl! It's..._

 _..._

 _Uh-oh._

* * *

"Adrien? Can you hear me?" murmured Marinette, doing her best not to wake her parents up. This situation was insane enough without having to explain it to them, too.

"Ma - Ma - Marinette?" groaned Adrien. "What... happened?"

"Are you all right? You look TERRIBLE! What happened to you, Adrien? Do I need to get help? Call an ambulance?" He saw an entire ocean of concern in Marinette's eyes.

 _An ocean. Blue. Endless. Liquid. Just like those big blue eyes above me... nnngh! Focus, before she DOES call Emergency!_

"I'm... not all right, but I think I'm good enough," he mumbled, trying to sit up and nearly succeeding. "Don't call anybody. Where am I?"

"You're in my bedroom," said Marinette. "Much to my complete surprise."

"I am? How did I get there?" asked Adrien.

"Wasn't easy! I brought you down the ladder from my balcony. Luckily, you're pretty light," she said.

"And how did I get on your balcony?" he asked, trying to shake the cobwebs out of his skull.

"That was EXACTLY the question I had for you, Adrien Agreste." The concern remained, but now that he was stabilizing, there was definitely anger jockeying for position on her face. "I heard a huge THWUMP, I went upstairs with a baseball bat, and I found you passed out on my deck."

"You went up there with a baseball bat?" marveled Adrien. "Alone? In your pajamas?"

"You've seen my dad down in the bakery, I think. Would you rather that I went and got him and said 'Daddy, there's a teenage boy trying to break into my room?'" Marinette half-grinned.

Adrien pictured the VERY large Mr. Dupain in his mind, and cringed. "No, no, we can keep this between us, thank you. And I was NOT trying to break into your room, honest! I'm... okay, I'm not sure _what_ I was doing, but I'm sure of that."

"You're not sure what you were doing there?" boggled Marinette. "Let's start at the beginning. How did you even get UP there?"

Adrien was silent. _She'd never believe a word of it. I don't know that _I_ believe what actually happened. What CAN I tell her?_

"If you would like to get hit, by all means, please continue saying nothing," glared Marinette. "I'm waiting."

* * *

"I'm going to be completely honest with you, Marinette, even though it won't sound like I am," Adrien sighed. "I really DON'T know how I got up there. Something really, really strange is going in my life right now, and I can't talk about it. I promise that it's _not_ drugs, I haven't been drinking, it's not anything against the law, nothing like that."

"That's good to know," she nodded. "Keep going."

"I... how can I say this?" he mumbled. "A little while ago, I wasn't myself... but I was, too. I mean, my mind was there, but I was kind of a passenger, too. And..."

"You are SCARING me, Adrien. And I still have that bat," said Marinette, with wariness mixed with concern. "Are you sick, or something? Is there something I can do? I don't get this at _all."_

"Okay... let me try again," he said. "Something happened to me, that I can't really explain because you wouldn't believe me anyway, and it scared the hell out of me. I can't really describe how it happened, or why. I just can't. And I just had to RUN. And I ran, and I ran, and I ran until I collapsed. And, somehow... when I woke up, I was here. I don't remember the last few minutes before my lights went out. I really _don't,_ I swear."

She stared at him, still uncomprehending... but her expression softened somewhat. "I'm not sure why I believe you... but I might. Did someone do this to you? Like, did Chloe spike your drink and make Kim carry you up a ladder, or something?"

"I don't... no, nothing like that. This is something I did on my own," he admitted.

"Look at me, Adrien, eye-to-eye." she said. "You're completely serious?"

Adrien didn't think the devil himself could lie to _that_ face. "I am," he said, as clearly as he could.

"Hmmph. Well, Mr. Mysterious... there's something you're still not telling me, and maybe I don't want to know," Marinette sniffed. "If you want, I can sneak you downstairs and get you out the back door, and call your dad or someone to come pick you up-"

"NO!" Adrien cried out, causing Marinette to reach out and muffle him with her hand, involuntarily.

"SHHH!" she snapped. "Or do you WANT my parents in here? I don't really want to explain why I'm sneaking boys into my room at night, either."

"Especially when it's one you wouldn't want there in the first place," Adrien agreed.

"Let's not... never mind! Let's think this out. Wow. You really DON'T want your dad involved, do you?" continued Marinette.

"He CAN'T be. Not now."

Her eyes went very wide. "Adrien... he's not doing anything to you, is he? Like, abusing you?"

Adrien shook his head rapidly, then regretted the sudden movement. "No, no, no!" he muttered, holding his head and feeling woozy again. "My dad's never laid a finger on me, and nobody in that house is abusing anyone, I promise. I may have a pretty strict diet for modeling, but they're feeding me, believe me. He cares about me, I know he does, and me for him. I'm the one breaking HIS heart right now."

Marinette looked at him, remaining quiet, wondering what in the world to do.

* * *

At the hospital, Gabriel Agreste was beside himself, worrying about his fallen aide-de-camp. A doctor came out to meet him, and he nearly leapt to the doctor's side.

"Mr. Agreste... Nathalie is stable. Frankly, we're a bit puzzled as to what happened to her, or why she was in the state she was in when she got here," said the doctor, frowning. "But she doesn't seem to have anything life-threatening going on that requires immediate action."

"I'm glad to hear it, but I don't understand," said Gabriel. "You can't tell what happened to her?"

"She was in a state of shock, obviously. Something had happened to her that jarred her mind and body and knocked her out. But she has no bruising, no tissue trauma, no cardiac abnormalities that we can detect. She wasn't electrically shocked, her blood work is normal, her vitals are fine. There are no signs of a stroke, or TIA, or anything else that might help explain a sudden collapse. No drugs in her system, or at least nothing found in her initial blood testing. She fell, but we think she was unconscious when she hit the floor."

The doctor scratched his head. "If anything, we're quite pleased that we CAN'T find anything very wrong... because we certainly thought we would. But she seems strangely healthy for someone who came in here, unresponsive. We'd like to run some more tests and keep her for observation, of course, but that's her decision to make."

"I see. Can I see her, Doctor?" asked Gabriel, with mixed feelings of relief and apprehension.

"Yes, this way," he nodded. The doctor led Gabriel to Nathalie's bedside, where she appeared to be resting comfortably.

"Can we be alone for a moment?" asked Gabriel, and the area was cleared.

* * *

"So... you weren't yourself, but you were, but you weren't in control of yourself, and you ended up on my deck and don't know how you got there," Marinette repeated. "You realize just how crazy that sounds, Adrien?"

"I do. And if I was making things up, I'd come up with a much more coherent story than that," he replied, sheepishly.

"I'll say," she grinned. "This is like something out of a cartoon show, or something. One more question?"

"Shoot," he said.

"So you were out of your head and you had to go somewhere, _anywhere_ to get away. And you came here." Marinette looked closely at Adrien and asked, "Why here?"

"As weird as it will sound," he replied, slowly, "I think I can try to answer that. Maybe not for sure, because like I said, I was kind of out of my head... but subconsciously, I thought..."

"Mmm-hmm," Marinette prompted him, visibly curious.

"We don't know each other very well, Marinette, and I've only known you for a couple of days. I'm really sorry that I involved you in all of this, and I wouldn't blame you one bit if you never want to speak to me again after this." Adrien gave her a sad smile. "But from the moment I first met you, I just had a feeling that you were someone special. Someone unusual, but in a good way."

She gave him some side-eye. "Are you done digging that hole for yourself, or are you still going?" she chuckled.

"I don't mean unusual as in weird! Right now I've got enough weird of my own for our whole class," he laughed. "I mean, you're someone who's just... so positive. So open and caring. You'd drop anything you were doing to help a friend in need. Most people I've met aren't like that, Marinette." He smiled at her and continued, "I think deep down, I needed someone I could trust. I needed a friend. And for whatever reason, part of me felt like I could trust _you_ with anything."

Marinette blinked, twice, three times as what he said sunk in. "Really...?" she mumbled. "You're being serious right now?"

"I'm at your mercy right now, Marinette," he said, softly. "This isn't some weird way of hitting on you, or anything like that. I'm being straight with you on everything I can."

She closed her eyes and thought for a moment. "Yeah, you are at my mercy, Adrien. I'm not sure you could stand up if you tried, and I don't want you to try right now. Lucky for you," she added, with the beginnings of a smile, "I really do help friends in need."

"And do I qualify as one?" Adrien asked, hesitantly.

"I haven't kicked you out yet, have I?" she giggled. "Now, I want you to lie back..."

* * *

"Hi," said Nathalie, gingerly. "You didn't have to come here..."

"Of course I did!" he insisted, immediately. "You are important to me, whether you know it or not. And, besides, whatever happened happened in my house!" He had a puzzled look on his face. "Do you KNOW what happened... or where my son is?"

"We had... I thought it was an intruder," she whispered. "Someone in a black leather suit, near your private safe. I'd almost swear he had cat ears on, as crazy as that sounds! I'm not sure what he was doing there, or what he wanted. He was sitting down on the floor, not grabbing valuables and running away! I confronted him and grabbed his shoulder... and it was like a grenade went off."

"A black leather suit? Cat ears? THAT safe?" Gabriel turned ashen. "I see."

"Is... there something you're not telling me, Sir?" she asked, wary that he seemed to have made a connection there. "I kind of think I have the right to know if I'm involved in anything dangerous. Especially after this..."

"No, it's nothing illegal or immoral. I..." He laughed, strangely. "I can say I've had opportunities, but someone... talked me down from such things."

"Huh?" asked Nathalie, suddenly wary.

"Never mind that; I'm babbling. What else do you remember?" Gabriel asked.

"Not a lot. Adrien's bodyguard found me. He said nothing was missing from the safe, except a ring. There was a brooch on the ground next to me." She pointed to her clutch, sitting on a nearby table. "It's in there - I think they thought it was mine."

Gabriel reached over, as directed, and produced the Moth Miraculous from his aide's purse. "Good. I would not want to lose this," he mumbled.

"Why was that in the safe, may I ask?" wondered Nathalie. "It's attractive, but you have other jewelry that's far more valuable."

"This one... let's just say that it has special sentiment to me, related to Emilie," he said, and Nathalie let it rest at that. "And Adrien?"

She hung her head. "I don't know. I didn't see him nearby when everything happened. The... intruder WAS about his size, but why would he rob his own house? I just don't know."

"It's all right, Nathalie, don't beat yourself up. He's vanished before; he's very good at it. Do you want me to stay here with you? I'll stay as long as you like," he offered.

"I'm fine. Or at least that's what they're telling me," she assured him. "Go home. Find Adrien. I wish I knew where he is, too."

"I will be back tomorrow, then. Get some rest... and let me know anything you need. You will be taken care of, I promise," smiled Gabriel.

He wandered out to his car, half in a daze. Adrien vanishing for hours at a time was, sadly, not all that unusual any more; he'd written that off as textbook teenage rebellion and a need for personal space, so he hadn't taken drastic measures to stop it.

But an intruder, who knew precisely what a Miraculous was and which one to take? This had disaster written all over it. He didn't know if his son had meddled in things best left alone, or if someone from the outside was responsible... but that, combined with Adrien's disappearance, had terrible implications either way. And the LAST thing he would ever allow would be to lose his _son_ to this madness, as well.

* * *

It was Marinette's turn to roll over with sleepy eyes, gazing up at fuzzy shapes that were slowly becoming clear. It took a much shorter time for her eyes to focus, with the two shapes over her becoming Tom and Sabine, her father and mother.

"Marinette? Are you all right?" her mother said, gently. "And why are you sleeping on the couch?"

 _Busted_ , Marinette thought. _Adrien, boy, you'd better be worth what I'm bringing down on myself right now._

"I am," she said. "I... have a friend who _wasn't_ all right last night. It's hard to explain. He's sleeping in my bed, so I came down here."

"There's a boy... sleeping in your bed right now?" boggled Tom.

"Which is why I'm down HERE," she grinned, sleepily. "I like him, but not like THAT. Not even close."

"I... see," her mother replied, with a little relief peppered into her worry. "And who is he, and how did he get there?"

Marinette thought fast, and gave as abbreviated a version of the truth that she could manage. She explained who it was, that he'd had some kind of family difficulty that he didn't want to or couldn't talk about, and that he seemed clean and sober to her untrained eye. She made sure they knew that he hadn't pressured her in any way, but he really needed her help and he was barely standing up when he reached her and she couldn't turn him away, could she?

She relaxed a little when they seemed to be on board with her reasoning... mostly.

"Can we go up and have a talk with him, Marinette? You can come with us, and actually, I'd prefer that you did," Sabine asked.

"Sure thing," she responded. "This isn't exactly how I would've introduced you to him, but it is what it is."

The trio walked upstairs together, and Marinette pushed the door to her room open...

* * *

After verifying that his son's room was empty, Gabriel stumbled into his own bedroom, feeling empty and distraught. _Time to figure out the truth of things,_ he thought to himself.

He turned on his computer and checked access records, and after a few minutes found confirmation that it'd been accessed while no one was home but Nathalie, Adrien and his bodyguard. _That helps narrow down THAT,_ thought Gabriel. _I'm not THAT good with computers but I have my moments, young man... though I really need to start changing my password more often._

Gabriel sunk back into his desk chair and thought hard. _Had his son taken a Miraculous? Had he taken BOTH of them and... oh, dear God, he wouldn't have tried THAT, would he?_ He pieced together the events in his mind, as best as he could understand them. _If he read the notes on that book, and he believed in the power it could grant... I'm pretty sure I know what he would've wished for. Because it's what I would've tried... except that I know better. And he wouldn't have known the potential consequences, or that he had the wrong one!_

 _So NOW what do I do?_

 _If someone else took the Miraculous and Adrien, I'll hear from them soon enough,_ he reasoned. _But I think it's far more likely that Adrien and the Cat Miraculous are together..._ The thought made him shudder. _My son, shaken up or worse from whatever happened when the Miraculouses combined, out there with one of the deadliest weapons in the world?_

 _I don't want to do this. But I have no other choice._

Gabriel took the purple brooch from his pocket and affixed it to his chest. A tiny purple being fluttered forth, its eyes huge.

"MASTER! Something terrible has happened! Your son... Chat Noir..." sputtered Nooroo.

"That's all the confirmation I needed," cringed Gabriel. "I'd pieced together most of it on my own. Can you sense where the Cat Miraculous might be now?"

"I cannot," said Nooroo. "I don't have that kind of power. Only certain Kwamis do, and, well, I'd need to know where THEY are to go ask them to search."

"So it's you and me against the world, is it, Nooroo?" Gabriel half-smiled. "But if we're going to bring my son back, before something terrible happens to him or anyone else... I think we're going to need help. And I think you know precisely what I mean."

"I am here to help you, Master. When we argued previously, I merely wanted to make sure that your intentions were pure. Please forgive me," said Nooroo, shyly.

"Don't call me Master, Nooroo. Call me Gabriel." The businessman gathered his will. "Because I have a feeling we'll be working together very closely for a while, and I'll need your wisdom to guide me."

Nooroo smiled.

"Nooroo," he intoned... "SPREAD YOUR WINGS!"

A white flash filled the room.

* * *

Marinette opened the door and gawked in surprise... when she found the room empty.

"Adrien?" she called. "Are you here?"

The three looked around and found no sign of him in the room. "The bed's been slept in, obviously," Tom noted. "So at least he got some rest."

"There's nothing... missing, is there, Marinette?" asked her mother, anxiously.

"Oh, I'm SURE he would _never..._ but yeah, let me check," Marinette replied. She did a quick scan of valuables and keepsakes and found everything in place. Quickly, she climbed up to the balcony and looked around; that, too, was empty. With some relief, she saw no signs of him having plummeted over the railing.

 _But the front door was locked, and he didn't have the key! How else could he have left, if not up and out?_ wondered Marinette.

She stepped back from the railing, very confused. "Did I do the right thing?" she asked, slightly rhetorically.

"Your friend really needed your help, right?" her mother asked, soothingly.

"He did. I'm still not sure what it was all about... but he really did," she answered.

"Then you did what was right. As long as your room doesn't turn into a hotel room regularly," Sabine smiled. "Or at least give us a cut of the rental fees."

"You're sure that you didn't have a really... vivid dream, or something, Marinette?" asked Tom. "I mean, I do believe what you're saying... but I can't understand how he could've gotten in OR out from here, without a ladder or a rope or something."

"Me neither," she breathed. "I don't get this at all. But I'm going to."

* * *

Once her parents left her room, Marinette reached under her pillow and pulled out a note, the tiniest corner of which she'd spotted sticking out from underneath it.

It read:

. Dear Marinette,

. Thank you for putting up with me last night. That may be the sweetest

. thing anyone has ever done for me, and it won't be forgotten. I may be

. a pain in your neck at the moment, but I will forever be your friend, and I

. promise that I will pay you back for your kindness and understanding.

. I hope that I'll see you again after all this craziness is over.

. A.

 _That's not ominous at all,_ she thought. _Why would he not see me again?_

Marinette re-read the note and, despite herself, she smiled warmly. _You ARE a pain in my neck, Adrien Agreste._ _But I'm glad I could be there for you. I hope I can help you fix whatever's wrong._

She closed her eyes, basking in the morning sunlight shining through her open balcony hatch...

...which also made a silver butterfly sparkle in the air as it fluttered towards her.

* * *

Next time:

* Marinette undergoes some... changes.

* Adrien tries to remain unseen, and to figure out what to do next.

* Gabriel reaches out.

* Master Fu takes action.

* "What in the world is THIS?"


	4. Stepping Into the Spotlight

Let's Take It From The Top, Chapter 4: Stepping Into the Spotlight

* * *

Sitting on her bed, Marinette heard a faint and unfamiliar sound. _Eww! Did a bug get in here?_ she thought, opening her eyes...

"EEP!" she squeaked, leaning back quickly as she saw a huge silver butterfly, flapping its wings right in front of her!

 _Where did THAT come from? I've never seen one that big - and is it GLOWING? And aaaaaaah it's coming right at m-_

The butterfly reached out and touched one of her hair ties, very gently... and, to her astonishment, it disappeared! She didn't have much time to wonder before a silvery symbol appeared in front of her eyes, hanging in mid-air.

"Hello," a voice said to her, seemingly from inside her head. "Please don't be afraid. Can you hear me?"

"Oh, jeez, it's happening to me, too! I'm losing my mind!" Marinette panicked. "What is HAPPENING to me today?"

"You're not losing your mind. Be calm. This is new to me, too. Can you see something different in the air around you?"

"Um... there's the glowy thing in front of my eyes that moves wherever I turn my head. DOES THAT COUNT?" she hissed, terrified.

"Yes, it does," the voice laughed, gently. "It means that this actually works, and I can hardly believe that it does. I apologize for scaring you... Marinette, is it?"

"YOU KNOW MY NAME?" whimpered the young woman. "Okay, hold it right there. Who _are_ you? WHAT are you? You won't hurt me, will you?"

"You may call me... Papillon. I mean you no harm, I assure you... and, in fact, I am in need of your help. Will you please hear me out?" the voice asked.

"Do I have a choice?" Marinette asked.

"Of course you do! I will not force my proposition onto you. But may I explain, briefly?"

Marinette paused for thought. "O-okay," she managed.

* * *

"I will understand if what I say seems incredibly crazy to you, but I promise that I am being completely serious about all of this," the voice intoned. "I am reaching out because I need your help."

"I've been hearing that a lot lately, for some reason," muttered Marinette. "Go on."

"As I said, you may call me Papillon... the Butterfly. I wish to keep my identity secret for now, and I will keep yours secret as well, if you accept my offer. We have not met, but through my butterfly's... telepathic link, you could call it, I can hear your spoken words and you can hear mine. I can sense certain things about you; only your name and very basic things about you. I cannot and would not probe deeper."

 _Is THIS what happened to Adrien?_ wondered Marinette. _Wait, could PAPILLON hear me thinking that?_

"There is something... magical loose in Paris right now. A boy, about your age, in the costume of a black cat. Have you seen anyone like that, perchance?" Papillon asked.

"No? I really, really think I'd remember that," she answered. "Let me check my closet... nope! No magical catboys there."

"Heh! I admire your spirit, young woman... But I assure you, he is out there. He has power vested in him that he does not understand; power that could be extremely dangerous, if misused. He is scared and alone right now, I suspect. It is my task to bring him in unharmed, and try to help him, if I can... which is where you come in."

"What in the world could I do?" Marinette asked, slowly becoming less terrified and more curious. "I'm just an ordinary girl, with an ordinary life."

"I can change that... temporarily. If you would want that to happen."

"Why ME?" wondered Marinette. "Other than that I'm a weirdness magnet, all of a sudden..."

"My butterfly is attracted to positive emotions. Hope, love, compassion, warmth, laughter. I cannot control whom it will go to; it seeks out someone whose spirit is light and pure, who wants to make a good impact on their world. Today, it found you," replied Papillon. "It's actually quite a compliment, you could say."

"Okay, it found me. Yay, me! Now what?" Marinette was starting to feel like Alice's Red Queen, believing as many as six impossible things before breakfast. "What does it do?"

"Would you believe... it grants superpowers?" asked Papillon. "Temporarily. If you will help me catch the cat, you will hardly believe what you'll be capable of. May I ask that of you, Marinette?"

 _This is all too crazy by half!_ she thought. _Someone's pranking me, somehow, or something like that. This can't be real._

"Go ahead. Show me," she said.

"All right, then. Chrysalis... FORM!"

* * *

Silver, sparkling light cascaded around Marinette's body, and she tried to take back her last statement... but she found herself transfixed, unable to move or speak, for several seconds. She felt as if she was suspended in mid-air, nestled in a cocoon of energy, the strangest tingling sensations all around her. It was not unpleasant, but quite unlike anything she had felt in her life.

Just as she started wondering how she was going to breathe in this cocooned state... it burst open, and she emerged as... _wait. What the HECK am I wearing_?

Marinette... or who used to be Marinette, at least... looked in the mirror. Her pigtails were pointing straight up, almost like antennae. A red domino mask covered her eyes, with a black bodysuit with yellow trim covering most of her body. It was form-fitting without being disturbingly revealing. She felt a slight weight on her back, almost like she was wearing a backpack. She felt strangely energized, seemingly ready for anything.

"What in the WORLD?" she marveled, looking herself over.

"Welcome... Firefly," the voice smiled.

"Firefly?" she asked. "That's my new name?"

"Indeed. Won't you try your wings out?"

Firefly concentrated on the weight on her back. She wasn't sure why it felt natural to her now... but for some reason, it did. Her muscles flexed, lightly...

"WHOA!" She looked down... at the floor, a few feet beneath her!

* * *

"YOU WEREN'T KIDDING!" Firefly cried out, her boots dangling above her bed. "This is AMAZING! I'm a human lightning bug!"

She darted around the room, testing her wings out. It seemed that she could change directions on a dime, hover briefly like a hummingbird, and was far stronger than she'd ever imagined being. "Are they, like, part of me now? If something hits them, will it hurt?" she asked.

"Very little can hurt you now, Firefly. And the wings are part of you for now, but have the same kind of magical protections on them as the rest of you. About the only thing that CAN hurt you is another Miraculous user... and, unfortunately, that's who I need you to confront."

"What do you mean by... confront? Like, are we supposed to go all punch-and-kick? I'm not a lover _or_ a fighter. More like a fall-over-er," admitted Firefly.

Papillon tried to be reassuring. "I'm hoping you can talk some sense into him and convince him to return home, rather than _knock_ sense into him. He's not some mustache-twirling comic-book villain; he's just scared. The powers are more for your own protection, and to keep up with him in case he tries to run."

"Protection?" asked Firefly. "From whom, or what?"

 _She doesn't miss a word,_ smiled Papillon. "In case he lashes out without thinking. Or... in case I'm wrong about the villainous part."

"You're expecting either?" she asked, nervously.

"I don't know what to expect, to be quite honest," Papillon admitted. "But I can sense what you sense when you're transformed, and guide you as much as I am able from afar, the way I am doing now."

"Oh!" she gasped, looking at the time. "I kind of have to get to school, Papillon. How long do these powers last?"

"You can say 'Transform me!' to change back and forth, Marinette. Although I will caution you that your power supply is limited, and once it is expended, that will be the end of it," he explained. "I can't recharge you. Transformation only uses a tiny bit of power compared to flying, or to your... hidden power, but it all adds up. You should be able to sense when you're running low, so if you are feeling weak as Firefly, I strongly suggest that you stick to low altitudes."

"I have no interest in plummeting, agreed. Um... I'll contact you after school is over, or if there's a sighting of him while I'm there, and we'll start the search?"

"Agreed... Thank you, Firefly. I am in your debt," Papillon smiled.

"Don't thank me yet. Let's see what I can do about your cat first," replied Firefly. "Transform me!"

In a white flash, the heroine became Marinette again, and she gathered up her books and dashed off to class, her mind spinning.

* * *

 _I am SO going to give Adrien a piece of my mind when I see him,_ thought Marinette as she ran up the steps. _That was beyond weird last night, but I helped him out, and then he just disappears like that? And I don't know where this 'Papillon' came from, but it's hard for me to imagine that Adrien's sudden weirdness and THIS craziness aren't connected somehow..._

She entered the room and took her seat next to Alya, noting the empty seat across the aisle next to Nino. _Any time now..._

Ms. Bustier entered, closed the door and greeted everyone. As she took attendance, Marinette noted Adrien's seat remained unoccupied. "I wonder..." she mumbled, under her breath.

"What?" whispered Alya.

"Nothing," Marinette whispered back. _He didn't show._ _I wonder where Adrien DID go after he left my house? I hope he's all right..._

* * *

At lunchtime, Marinette pulled out her phone and decided to see if she could find anything out.

"Nino," she asked, "Do you happen to have Adrien's cell number?"

"Y-yeah..." Nino replied, surprised. "Do you need it?"

"Yeah. DO you?" asked Alya, overhearing. "Oh, hi, Nino," she added, not leaving him out.

"I just had a question for him. Nothing major," Marinette explained, adding "Don't give me that look, Alya. It's not one of THOSE questions."

"If you say so," her friend smiled. "Just be gentle."

Marinette blew a friendly raspberry her way, accepting her phone back from Nino. "That's it," he confirmed. "I don't know why he's not in today."

"Me, neither," she shrugged. "Maybe he's not feeling well, or something."

Once she was alone, Marinette sent a text:

 **[Marinette]** **Hey, this is Marinette. Making sure you're okay, you worried me disappearing like that.**

She waited...

...and kept waiting.

* * *

The school day dragged on endlessly for Marinette, waiting impatiently to go out and make sure that she hadn't imagined her last twenty-four hours.

As the final bell rang and the class filed out, a few of the girls approached Marinette. "Hey," Rose said, "a bunch of us are heading over to the Pont des Arts; Juleka saw that Andre the ice cream man's setting up there today. Want to come along, Marinette?"

"Maybe next time, thank you!" she smiled. "Very tempting, but I have an errand I really need to run."

 _Do I ever_ _!_ she thought, grinning inside, waving as they left.

* * *

In an abandoned, boarded-up warehouse, a young man sat on the floor and pondered his options.

 _Not exactly lavender-and-cinnamon-and-cushioned-beds, is this place?_ Adrien thought. _But it wouldn't have been fair to Marinette to stay there longer, then end up being found by her parents. It was amazing that she took me in at all._

Nearby, he watched a tiny black cat pointedly refuse to even look at him.

"Plagg? Can we finally talk about this?" asked Adrien.

"Kid... you have NO IDEA just how badly you screwed up," muttered the Kwami, angrily. "You could've taken thirty seconds to listen. But nooooooooo..."

"I didn't think that I'd get interrupted like that, or-"

"You didn't THINK, period," accused Plagg. "Here's a question. Your father had two Miraculouses AND all that research about them and what they can do. Why do you think _he_ never tried what you tried?"

"I... I don't know," Adrien admitted. "Well, I guess I do NOW. Because..."

"...because he didn't have the right two Miraculouses. Because he LISTENED to Nooroo when Nooroo told him not to try anything STUPID!" Plagg was visibly furious. "These things are NOT TOYS, Adrien. Invoking them the wrong way like that could've blown up your house, your neighborhood, probably all of _France_ if you'd kept going long enough!"

"I'm SORRY, okay?" sniffed Adrien. "I screwed up, bad. I know I did. What DID I do when that explosion happened, Plagg? Is Nathalie all right?"

"HOW SHOULD I KNOW?" barked Plagg. He looked at the young man's tearful face and calmed down, slightly. "Look, kid... I THINK she'll be all right. I've seen worse backfires in my day, and she was breathing when you left her. Odds are, a couple of days of rest and she'll recover. That shouldn't have, like, burned her face or cut her up; that was a _magical_ explosion."

The Kwami flew in a tight circle, still agitated. "But I don't KNOW what you did, exactly, because now my own powers are screwy! Something in that misfire affected ME and I'm not sure what's different yet; no one's ever tried to invoke me with Nooroo before! So for now, I'm telling you, lay low so I can try to figure this out."

"What do you think's going to happen?" Adrien asked, through some sniffles.

"Well, if _I_ was your father, I'd start sending out Nooroo's butterflies to make superheroes to come find you. And those could be anybody, so be ready for anything," reasoned Plagg. "Nooroo gives out superpowers that last a few days, tops. But as soon as one runs out, he can make another. And I don't know where the current Guardian is... or if he's even still alive, now that I think of it, he would be REALLY old... But if he's out there or someone like him is, he knows I'm awake. What you did back there screamed out CHAT NOIR WAS HERE AND HE SCREWED UP in fifty-foot letters of magical fire, and wherever he is, he knows it."

"And who might HE send out after me?"

Plagg grimaced. "You don't even want to know, kid."

* * *

Firefly fluttered over the city streets, landing on a rooftop to survey the neighborhood she was in. _I can FLY!_ she bubbled, unbelievably giddy. _I CAN REALLY FLY!_

After a moment, she calmed herself. _There's a REASON you can fly, Marinette. You have a job to do. Better stick to it. Now, if I was a stray cat, where would I go..._

She gazed over her neighborhood, considering what the best plan of action might be. _I don't want to just fly around aimlessly and use up my power... but if I just sit here, there's no telling when or if he would pass by. Maybe I should go home and keep an eye on the TV and radio, and see if someone reports seeing anything strange?_

Looking down at the crosswalk, she saw an old man in a Hawaiian shirt, trying to cross one of the main avenues, very slowly. He was getting there, but cars were honking and swerving around him angrily. _Or I could try to do whatever good I can while I have this power, and figure out the catboy when he does turn up. Plus, this'll be good practice to know what I can do!_

* * *

Master Fu trudged slowly across the intersection, pretending not to be aware of the havoc he was wreaking on traffic patterns. _I'm still spry enough to leap out of the way... I think,_ he gulped. _But this old trick usually lures in someone compassionate to-_

All at once, he felt a pair of strong hands under his arms, and felt himself being lifted off the ground!

"Need a lift, Mister?" said a friendly, female voice, as he floated up and over the traffic and onto the sidewalk. He turned in amazement, hearing other people nearby calling out in shock and excitement. A young, winged woman in a red-black-and-yellow costume was hovering in the air next to him, smiling broadly.

"I, um... yes, I did! Thank you, Miss..." he stammered. _The Moth has sent out his first butterfly, I see!_ he smiled, internally.

"You can call me Firefly. Glad I could help!" She gave a little wave, then darted away before Master Fu could say much else.

Once out of earshot, Master Fu mumbled, "You saw that, right?"

Wayzz, from Fu's shirt pocket, agreed. "Definitely a Moth host. Pretty recent, too; her power levels felt quite strong."

"Let's follow, then. Where she goes, our Chat Noir may follow, and she may prove to be intriguing herself."

* * *

After a short while patrolling the city, Papillon's energy signature flared up on Firefly's face. "Any luck?" he asked.

"Not really. This is like finding a feline needle in a haystack," Firefly lamented. "I have no idea where to start looking."

"I understand; that's not your fault, Firefly. If he doesn't want to be found, not much can bring him out," assured Papillon. "Can you try again tomorrow, after school?"

"Sure, I can. I'll keep an eye out on the news, in case someone spots him," she replied, then turned and headed for home.

* * *

Firefly reached her balcony and transformed back to Marinette, only to hear her phone starting to ring immediately.

Alya, on the other end, was beside herself with excitement. "DID YOU SEE THE NEWS?" she nearly hollered. "This is SO EXCITING!"

"No, I didn't," Marinette answered, entering her room. "I'm turning it on now." She flicked on the local station and saw a huge caption beneath a local news anchor: NEW SUPERHEROINE IN PARIS?

 _Well, THAT didn't take long!_ Marinette watched, with a little trepidation, as she saw someone's cell-phone video of Firefly assisting the old man out of harm's way.

"It is unknown what 'Firefly' can do besides flight, or what brought her to our city," said the anchor, quickly being drowned out by Alya's excited voice in Marinette's ear. "GPS check... battery check... I am _so_ on my way!"

"Hey... where are you going?" asked Marinette.

"A superhero in Paris? No way I'm missing this!" said Alya, eagerly. "If I can find her, maybe I can interview her! Start a blog! The FIRESIGNAL! Or the LIGHTNING BLOG!"

"I wouldn't get TOO excited, Alya," Marinette cautioned her. "It's hard to say how long she'll even be around town."

"You want to come out with me to look for her?" asked Alya. "No? C'mon, where's your sense of adventure?"

"Tripping over its own feet, I think," chuckled Marinette. "Good luck on your search!"

* * *

The next morning, Marinette arrived at school, not sure quite what to expect. Alya was there, still determined to track down Paris's newest and finest; Adrien, again, was not.

At the beginning of class, Ms. Bustier paused before beginning her lessons. "Attention, class," she said. "By any chance, have any of you seen Adrien Agreste in the last day or so?"

The response was negative all-around. Marinette considered mentioning Adrien's mysterious evening visit, but didn't, lest she have to explain HOW it had happened.

"The school got a call from his father this morning, saying that he had gone missing and asking for assistance. It's not likely anything serious, but if he contacts one of you, could you please let me know so I can pass it on?" her teacher asked.

Marinette took out her notepad, doing her best not to look suspicious. _There's zero reason anyone would connect us or think he'd visited me,_ she thought. _I'm being silly worrying. I'm sure he's fine, wherever he is._

Still, she couldn't help glancing every now and then at the empty seat across the aisle.

* * *

After school, Marinette transformed and took flight again, trying a different part of the city this time.

 _I'll check things out from up higher; I can see more of the city that way,_ she thought. She circled one neighborhood, then the next for about half an hour, keeping an eye out for accidents or dangerous situations as well as for her target.

On the roof of an old warehouse, far below her... a dark, crouching figure caught her eye.

 _Could I POSSIBLY be this lucky?_ Firefly thought. _Let's see..._

* * *

Chat Noir sat on the roof, next to an air vent, debating what to do next. _If I spend one more minute hiding in that dingy warehouse,_ he thought, _I'm going to go nuts. I need some fresh air! Nobody can see me up here, though, so this should be safe._

 _I should probably figure out a couple of safehouses like this,_ pondered Chat. _I still have my credit card in my wallet as Adrien, though as soon as I use it Dad will have an idea of where I am when he checks its recent charges. I wonder how much cash I have on hand? Then, I'll need some changes of clothes, and -_

"Hi there! Can we talk for a minute?" pealed a pleasant voice from above him, nearly making Chat jump out of his skin with surprise.

"Who are YOU?" he gasped, looking up at the unexpected, winged girl above him.

"They call me Firefly," she smiled, trying not to appear as nervous as she was. "And you are...?"

"Chat Noir," he said, also trying to remain calm. _WOW, she's cute!_ he thought, then put that out of his mind for now. "Did my father send you after me?"

"Not... that I know of?" Firefly replied, looking a little confused. "Should he have? I don't know who your father is. Is he a black cat like you, or more of a tabby?"

"Ha!" Despite himself, Chat laughed. "He's a lot of strange things, but he's human. Why are you following me, then?"

"Well," Firefly began, landing several feet away from Chat. "The... benefactor who gave me these powers asked me to look for someone like you. He said you weren't a supervillain or a threat, but that you had powers that you weren't sure how to control." She grinned, "I assume that's you. I haven't found any other costumed catboys out here."

"And you have found me, mademoiselle. Now what would you ask of me?" asked Chat, theatrically.

"Honestly? He and I hadn't talked a lot about that part. He'd said to ask you to come home, and see if you can be helped-"

"You ARE from my father!" grimaced Chat, assuming a defensive stance. "I'm sorry, and I really don't want to hurt you... but I can't go home right now. I have my reasons."

"I'm sure you do, and I don't want to even TRY to hurt you," assured Firefly. "But if we can-"

Chat moved with the speed of thought, dashing across the rooftops. "Au revoir, pretty one!" he called back.

"HEY!" she yelled, darting off in pursuit. "Don't run from me, Chat!"

He zig-zagged across Paris, with his winged pursuer close behind. "Come on, stop this!" Firefly yelled. "I just want to talk!" _Should I try to pick him up and carry him... wherever?_ she wondered to herself. _Or just keep trying to get him to stop and talk it out?_

She'd just about caught up to him when a loud crash made them both come up short. "WHOA!" Chat yelled. "Look at that!"

Two trucks had collided hard at the top of a steep hill. One toppled over... and the heavy, huge sewer pipes it had been transporting went hurtling down the hill, towards traffic and pedestrians!

* * *

The two costumed teens stared at each other, briefly... then Firefly flew off at top speed.

"What are you doing?" called Chat Noir.

"HELP THEM, you idiot!" shouted Firefly, already halfway there.

 _Um... yeah! Of course!_ thought Chat. _I ought to do SOMETHING right with these powers..._

Chat Noir hurtled forward as fast as he could, scooping a couple of pedestrians out of the path of the runaway pipes. He watched Firefly, who'd already done the same and was doubling back for another.

"OVER THERE!" he shouted, pointing at a young woman with a stroller, who was frozen with fear in the crosswalk.

As Firefly reached her, she panicked; _I don't have time to fly them out! NOW what?_ She put her body in between the woman and the flying pipe, not sure that it'd do any good.

The energy signature over her face flashed, quickly. "You have a hidden power! It should feel instinctual! Use it!" cried Papillon, frantically.

 _I have to do SOMETHING - But WHAT? -_

"LIGHTNING... CRASH!" she shouted, the phrase coming from somewhere deep within her.

* * *

Firefly felt light and energy build up within her, rapidly... then release in all directions around her, in a bright, arcing sphere of pyrotechnics!

"AAAAAAGGGH!" she screamed, bracing for impact...

...only for the pipes to hit the sphere of energy and be deflected away!

* * *

The lightshow ended as quickly as it had begun, with both Firefly and the young mother stunned that they were still upright.

"THANK YOU!" sobbed the mother, throwing her arms around Firefly. "August and I would've been killed if not for you! And you, too, Mr. Cat!"

Chat waved at her, also a bit stunned by the fireworks. "My... pleasure?" he called out. "And the name's Chat Noir."

Firefly's face lit up again with Papillon's energy. "EXCELLENT work, Firefly... but you now have no more than five minutes of power remaining!" said Papillon. "Best to make tracks, unless you'd like the world to know who you really are?"

"I... understand," replied Firefly. "You'll be okay, ma'am?"

"I will. THANK YOU SO MUCH!"

"Happy I could help. Um... Bug out?" Firefly flew off quickly, with one meaningful glance and a little shrug directed at Chat Noir. He blew her a kiss as she departed, then also left quickly.

The street was filled with cheers and congratulations... except for one ancient observer, who kept his own counsel and followed one of the participants, silently.

* * *

Firefly fluttered down onto her balcony, a bit disappointed. "I'm sorry that I couldn't do more for you, Papillon. But I couldn't let those people get hurt..."

"I'm very proud of you, Firefly. I wish I could get to know you better," assured her benefactor. "Perhaps someday, we will meet again like this."

"Someday..." said Firefly, just as her powers sparked out for the last time and she reverted to being Marinette again.

 _Huh! So much for THAT,_ Marinette thought. _Well, it was fun while it lasted... and at least I got to help people._

She climbed down into her room, stretched out on her bed, and thought, _Lying down like this was a mistake. I'm tired enough that I'm not getting up again for a while._

A much-needed nap began moments later.

* * *

The sound of her mother calling her to dinner woke Marinette, abruptly. "Coming!" she yelled back, sleepily.

She rubbed her eyes, absently. _This has been the strangest twenty-four hours of my life,_ she thought. _I wasn't dreaming all of that, was I?_

Marinette was about to leave the room when she caught a glimpse of something on her computer desk, something that she definitely hadn't left there herself. It was a small, hexagonal box, about the size of a tennis ball, sitting on the edge of her desk.

 _Now, what in the world is THAT?_ wondered Marinette.

* * *

Next time:

* Oh, I think you know exactly what in the world THAT is.

* "What's the deal with the whole insect thing, anyway?"

* Plagg isn't the only one who's feeling strange.

* Marinette does some mental math.

* One missed call...


	5. Without Any Further Introduction

Let's Take It From The Top, Chapter 5: Without Any Further Introduction...

* * *

A sleepy-eyed Marinette trudged down the stairs for dinner, greeting her parents as she entered the dining room.

"Look what the cat dragged in," her father quipped, which jolted her more awake than it should have.

"Wait, WHAT?" Marinette panicked. "How did..." _CAT?_ _He couldn't POSSIBLY know... how could he?_

Tom gave her a funny look. "Just saying, you look exhausted! What are they putting you through at that school?"

She breathed a slight sigh of relief as she settled in at the table and reached for some vegetables. "Oh... yeah. It's nothing, Dad, I just didn't sleep well last night. And, no, no more unexpected houseguests kept me up," she added with a smile.

"Have you heard from your friend since then, Marinette?" Sabine asked, with a look of concern.

"Actually... no!" Marinette sagged a bit in her chair. "I really thought that I would have by now. Ms. Bustier asked if anyone had seen him this morning, telling us that his father reported him missing."

"That's not good at all," frowned Tom. "You'd told us that he and his father had a fight, or something like that?"

"I don't know what it was, exactly," his daughter explained, "because he didn't give too many details. He said, whatever it was, it was his fault and he felt like he couldn't go home right now. He swore up and down that it wasn't abuse, wasn't drugs or alcohol, wasn't anything illegal... so what in the world could it be?"

"Hard to tell," said Sabine. "Every family has its issues..."

"Wait... we do, too?" Tom asked.

"Some scarier than others," grinned Sabine, leaving it at that.

"It sounds like the Agrestes don't just have issues, they have the whole subscription," sighed Marinette. "It's a shame, whatever it is that's going on. Adrien seems a little strange, not to be rude... but he seems really nice underneath that. There's something very sweet about him, too."

"Something beyond his big green eyes, huh?" her mother chuckled.

"Uh-uh. You taught me a long time ago, Mom, 'try not to date crazy,'" noted Marinette. "I've tried to keep that in mind ever since."

"Why not?" Tom asked. "It's how _you_ got here."

His daughter busted up in giggles, while Sabine shot him a look. "I didn't say WHO dated crazy," backpedaled Tom, with a grin.

Marinette took a bite of her broccoli, then added, "Oh! Who put the little black box up in my room, by the way?"

"Black box?" Both Tom and Sabine looked confused.

"Yeah... the box on my computer desk! I found it there after my nap. Didn't one of you put it there? I know I didn't," asked Marinette. "And I know that I locked my balcony hatch when I came back down, so nobody came in that way..."

"No idea. What's it look like?" asked Sabine.

"Come with me after we're done eating, I'll show you," Marinette offered.

* * *

"Plagg... I feel strange," Adrien said, hidden away again in the deserted warehouse. "Hungry, but... not just for food."

"I'M hungry for food," grumbled Plagg. "Cheese, preferably. The stinkier, the better."

"Really?" Adrien wrinkled his nose. "I can tell already that _you'll_ be fun to travel with. I mean, I could use some dinner, so I can go get you some cheese in a little bit... But there's just... I can't describe it well! It's like I'm missing something inside, and I don't know what to fill it with."

"Uh-oh," Plagg frowned. "I don't like the sound of that."

"Uh-oh? What are you saying?" asked Adrien, hesitantly.

"I don't know yet. Maybe I'm wrong," the Kwami evaded. "Let's just go get some stuff and see how it goes, okay? Maybe a good meal will do the trick."

"Sure..." pondered Adrien. "So... that GIRL! Firefly, she called herself..."

"Remember what I was saying about your dad making temporary superheroes? She was one of them, I'm sure," replied Plagg. "She didn't have a true Miraculous, like you do; she had powers given to her by Nooroo."

"So she won't be around for much longer? That's a shame. Firefly was... wow!" Adrien closed his eyes, reimagining the young heroine in action. "She was brave, she was charming, she was..."

"Adorable?" drawled Plagg.

"YES! I mean... okay, YES!" blushed Adrien. "Wow! Whoever she is beneath that mask... I think I-"

"Let's not get ahead of ourselves, kid. You've got bigger things to worry about than dating right now," Plagg lectured him. "Though, I have to admit... you did all right out there today, rescuing those people."

"I did, didn't I?" Adrien smiled. "It felt good. Like it's what I _should_ be doing with these powers, instead of hiding away."

"Or blowing up secretaries," smirked Plagg, who changed his tone quickly as Adrien's face fell. "Hey, I didn't mean that! I'm sorry, Adrien. I mean, look... This isn't HOW you were meant to be chosen, and you got off to a really rough start. But you CAN do a ton of good as Chat Noir. Help people. Save lives. Stop crimes. Be Paris's midnight vigilante."

"I am the kitty that creeps in the night!" grinned Adrien, in a faux-deep voice.

"And it might be easier to do that from a real home base. Like, home, maybe," hinted Plagg. "Unless you're really into this kind of shabby chic," he added, gesturing around the decrepit room.

"I've thought about that some," Adrien admitted. "And a couple of things are still stopping me. One is that I still don't know what I'd say to Dad, and especially to Nathalie. But the other thing that's troubling me... These Miraculouses, they're immensely powerful, right? Some of the most powerful magic items on the face of the planet."

"Yeah, they are. So?"

Adrien stared at Plagg. "Where did my FATHER, of all people, get his hands on two of them... plus a book full of information on how to use them? And why did he keep them? What was he planning on doing with them?"

"Those..." Plagg said, blank-faced, "...are some good questions."

"Which is why I'm not quite ready to hand this one back to him yet," said Adrien. "Not until I figure some things out. For now, you wanna go eat?"

"Yeah," Plagg replied, though he'd started wondering about those things in his own mind. "Cheese shop?"

"Among other places," he grinned. "I don't make a big deal about being wealthy... but while it lasts, while I'm on the run like this, it does come in handy."

* * *

"That's it, over there," Marinette pointed, walking into her room. Her parents walked in behind her, with confused expressions on their faces.

"It's nothing I did," Sabine said. "Tom?"

He shook his head. "Not me. Could Adrien have left it for you before he disappeared?"

"I guess? But I used that desk this morning, and I don't remember seeing it there then. And I _know_ nobody's been in here since then, except me and you." She looked under her bed and in her closet, just to make doubly sure, but both were empty.

A bell was heard from downstairs. "Oh! Sounds like a customer," Marinette said. "I'll go check."

She ran downstairs, while Sabine and Tom pondered the situation. "Could our escape artist have returned?" Tom asked.

"I don't know, but what other explanation is there?" replied Sabine. "I didn't put it there, you didn't put it there, and she seems genuinely surprised... Maybe it was something Adrien left behind, and we all just missed it?"

"I'd rather think that, than that a boy was sneaking into her room," her father mused. "Knowingly or not. And, no, I don't think knowingly, I know her much better than that."

"Hmmm. I wonder what it is?" Sabine stepped forward.

* * *

Across town, Gabriel Agreste stood in his office, pondering his options.

"Nooroo," he asked, "is there a way to direct a butterfly to a specific person?"

"It's possible... but it doesn't mean you'll get them, necessarily. They'd have to be charged up with strong positive emotions, or the butterfly might flutter away to someone else. It's a butterfly, after all; the winds can blow it where they will."

"I'll keep that in mind. That girl... Marinette, her name was? She seemed almost ideal for my purposes. Young, smart, brave, one of Adrien's classmates... it might be prudent to try for her again at some point." He looked at Nooroo, who appeared tired. "Are you ready for another transformation, my little friend?"

"Not yet, Mast... Gabriel. I'm sorry, but whatever happened in that invocation really drained me! I appreciated your snack, and normally that would be enough, but I think I'll need a few more hours of rest."

"It's all right, Nooroo. I won't rush you Adrien is a bright young man. His disappearance... consumes me, but he is not without resources or cleverness. I must have faith that he will not do anything rash."

Gabriel glared at his phone, punching in yet another text message that he expected to go unread. "If he would simply CONTACT ME...!" he growled. "So much of this could be resolved! He has his mother's stubbornness."

Looking at Nooroo, he muttered, "He will not have her fate. _Whatever_ that may cost me."

* * *

Marinette dashed into the bakery, calling "May I help you?" She came face to face with a short man in a Hawaiian shirt, who looked oddly familiar...

 _That's the guy I helped across the street as Firefly!_ she thought. _Good, he didn't become a speed bump since then!_

"Welcome to the Tom & Sabine Boulangerie," Marinette began... then stopped, seeing his jaw drop and his eyes widen at her approach.

"Ah!" he stammered. "Hello, young lady. I, uh... are your parents in? I had... a question. About a special order."

"Um... sure? I'll go get them. Can you wait right here?" she asked him.

"Yes, I will. Thank you. Um... do hurry, please?" the man added, as he watched her spring up the stairs. _BEFORE one of them gets the biggest surprise of their lives?_

* * *

Sabine reached for the small box, noting the intricate runes and designs on it.

"I love the artwork on it... it looks hand-drawn," she said, holding it up to show her husband.

"Are those Chinese characters on it?" he asked. "I know a little, but not those."

"They're not modern Chinese script, that's for sure. They might be... I studied a little bit of Old Chinese in school, but that was decades ago," Sabine replied. "And even then it was more of a historical thing than learning to read it. Very strange to see it here, if that's what it is."

"Should we open it, or wait for Marinette?" Tom wondered. "I mean, it IS for her, presumably?"

"You're not curious?" grinned Sabine.

"Sure, I am. But I also know I'll get an earful if we do," he smiled back. "DAAAAD! Personal SPACE!"

"Oh, all right. You're no fun," his wife said, sitting it back on the desk.

"You know THAT'S not true," Tom laughed. "Or maybe you need a little reminder..."

"DAD! MOM!" they heard Marinette call. "The customer has a question about a special order. He asked for you..."

"I'll head down and see what I can do for him," Sabine said. As she turned to leave, she bumped the desk, shaking the box slightly...

* * *

Outside the grocery store, Adrien felt his phone buzz. "Well, it's good to know I'm being thought of, I guess," he smiled. He checked it and saw a message from Nino, four from his father - of course, but he couldn't think about that right now - another from Nino...

 _Whoa!_

He saw, scrolling back:

 **[16 1 42 34 56 78]** **Hey, this is Marinette. Making sure you're okay, you worried me disappearing like that.**

"PLAGG!" he whispered. "MARINETTE messaged me!"

"Uh-huh," the Kwami replied. "And?"

"She was thinking about me! She was worried about me!" Adrien wibbled. "I wonder how she got my number?"

"I take it that that's a good thing?" asked Plagg. "I thought you were head over heels now for your little winged wonder."

"Oh, Firefly is... don't even get me started! But after Marinette was so kind to me the other night, I'm... oh, I don't know, Plagg! I don't _do_ this sort of thing."

"What, date?"

"CONSIDER dating," Adrien admitted. "Dad keeps me on a fairly tight leash that way. And I don't know if I'm like THAT about Marinette... but I do _really_ like her, and I owe her one."

"One what?" Plagg asked him, amused.

"Whatever she needs." he smiled. "Oh! I just realized something, Plagg! Now I have _her_ number, too!"

"Yeah, yeah. Less dialing, more cheese-buying," Plagg grumbled.

They went inside, the phone in Adrien's left hand, as he added Marinette to his contacts list and wondered whether to call or text her first.

* * *

Master Fu watched the stairs like a hawk. He smiled as he heard two sets of footsteps coming down... but it faded slightly when the first set was Sabine's, but the second was Marinette's.

"Hello, sir! May we help you?" Sabine asked as she entered, with a warm smile.

"Yes, ah... I have an order to place," he mumbled. "Something for a, um... party I'm planning. I had a question or two about it..."

"Certainly! I'll be happy to help you with whatever you need. How large of a gathering is it?" asked Sabine, taking out her notepad.

"I'm not... sure yet. A couple of dozen people, I think... is your husband also available?" Master Fu wondered.

Sabine frowned. "I'm SURE I can handle this myself, Mister..."

"Wang. Wang Fu." He looked a little flustered. "Oh! Certainly, you are _more_ than capable yourself. I apologize if that sounded rude."

"...Then?" Sabine asked, puzzled.

"I had heard this was the best bakery in Paris. I hoped I might meet both the proprietors," he smiled, sweating a bit. "Maybe learn a trade secret or two."

"Well, that's different," she grinned. "Marinette, could you go get your father?"

"Sure!" Marinette said, brightly. She headed back up the stairs, with a loud thump audible from the upper floors as she left...

* * *

Tom stood on the ladder in Marinette's room, underneath the balcony hatch, fiddling with the lock. _It seems sturdy enough... Marinette said she'd locked it, but maybe she'd forgotten? It's not like anyone comes in or out that way except her, anyway, so maybe she forgets sometimes. I probably would._

Satisfied that the hatch was secure, he climbed back down. On the last step, he slipped slightly, and dropped to the floor with a thump.

"Ow!" he grumbled, rubbing his knee where he'd bumped it on the way down. The little black box teetered on the edge of the desk, very close to falling off...

"You okay, Dad?" asked Marinette, as she poked her head in her door. "The customer wanted to meet you, too."

"Really? Hmmph. All right, I'll head down and see what he needs. You okay up here, honey?" Tom asked.

"Sure, I'm just going to stretch out and let my dinner settle..." she said, as Tom headed downstairs.

 _Huh!_ she thought, looking across the room. _Someone must've bumped that box... it's about to fall off my desk!_ Marinette walked over and reached for it, gently...

* * *

A few minutes later, Master Fu left, grumbling to himself. "Ai-yaah! That was an expensive secret to keep!"

Wayzz chuckled. "Master, would you rather have had her parents find Tikki, instead of Marinette?"

"Of course not!" the old man sniffed. "But what am I going to do with a dessert platter for twenty-four guests?"

* * *

Adrien reached the check-out counter with a basket of groceries and odds and ends, still pondering how best to respond to Marinette's message. The woman at the register began ringing up his purchases, methodically.

"Oh, I HAVE to call her," he mumbled to himself, fumbling with the phone as the last groceries went into the bag. "But what will I say?"

"That'll be fourteen Euros," the cashier said, slightly annoyed. "When you're done with your phone."

"Sorry," Adrien blurted, reaching for his wallet. He dug out a ten and a five and handed them across the counter. As the cashier reached for them...

"OW!" As their hands touched, the cashier yelped in pain. "What was that?"

"I... don't know," Adrien said. "Almost like static electricity, but I don't know what would have caused it. I feel... hmmm!"

"Hmmm?" asked the cashier, rubbing her hand.

"Um... keep the change!" Adrien called, dashing off with his groceries. He bumped the Dial button on his phone as he hurried, not noticing...

* * *

Sabine and Tom came back upstairs together. "What a curious old man!" Tom said, amused by the encounter.

"Oh, I liked him," Sabine replied. "And, evidently, he knows how to throw quite a party!"

They entered Marinette's room... finding her lying on her bed, reading a magazine. "What did the old man need?" Marinette asked.

"A pretty big dessert tray," Tom smiled. "I like big orders like that. I'll get you to work on some icing designs for me, Marinette. You have quite the touch for that!"

"Sure, I'd be happy to!" beamed Marinette. "What kind of..."

She heard a ringtone from downstairs, interrupting her train of thought. "Oh, crap! I left my phone downstairs!" she said, jumping up to fetch it quickly.

As she ran, her mother called, "So what was in the mystery box, anyway?"

"I don't know, I didn't look yet! If you want, you can open it," came the distant reply.

* * *

Adrien darted outside the store, getting out of sight quickly. "PLAGG!" he hissed. "Why do I feel so... weird?"

"Oh, boy," Plagg whimpered. "I was afraid of this. Remember how I said my powers were screwed up?"

"Yeah..." said Adrien. "But I'm not Chat Noir right now, so why would that matter?"

"Something in that messed-up invocation must've really fried something. Your Cataclysm is STUCK ON, kind of! Even as ADRIEN! Just a little bit, but that's enough!"

"What do you mean, _even as Adrien_?" he panicked.

"You said you felt hungry, but not for food, right?" Plagg explained, frantically. "Then you touched that lady by accident, you felt a spark, and now you feel really funky, right?"

"Yeah! I'm all... like... charged up! Like I just drank three Red Bulls," agreed Adrien.

"The magic drained some of her energy! Your own energy is all messed up, and when it runs a little low, your right hand will try to pull some from whoever you touch!" Plagg did NOT look happy. "This happened once before, hundreds of years ago, when some wise guy tried to use me and the Ox together."

"What happened then?" asked Adrien?

Plagg said nothing.

Adrien glared at him... then realized that his phone had been dialing. "CRAP!" he gasped, reaching for it. "I didn't mean to do that yet..."

* * *

Marinette dashed down the stairs, hearing the ringtone for the third time... the fourth... the fifth...

Flying into the dining room, she picked it up and saw...

 _Holy crap, it's ADRIEN!_ she thought, hitting the Answer button and holding it to her ear...

* * *

A white flash filled Marinette's bedroom, making both Tom and Sabine recoil in fear; Sabine dropped the black box back onto Marinette's desk.

The flash dissipated, revealing...

Sabine jumped back. "Ahh! Help! It's a giant bug! A... a mouse! A... a bug-mouse!"

The tiny red creature floated forward, smiling, but also slowly realizing whom had actually opened the box. "Everything's okay! Don't be... scared? Oh... dear. Oh, my."

"Ahh! The bug-mouse TALKS!" cried Sabine, picking up a notepad from Marinette's desk, ready to throw it if necessary.

"OKAY. Um... greetings, Mr. Dupain, Mrs. Cheng. I am a Kwami, and my name is Tikki. I, uh... I don't suppose that Marinette is at home?"

* * *

Marinette heard nothing. She looked down at her phone, and saw **1 MISSED CALL**.

"Darn it!" she grumbled. She tried dialing him back, but didn't get an answer. When she got to his voice mail, she didn't have a prepared message to leave, so she just winged it:

"Hi, it's Marinette... I saw you tried to call, I just missed you. I hope you're okay. We've missed you at school, they said your dad's looking for you, and, um... I just want to know that you're safe, okay? Call me or text me, when you can. Please, Adrien. Bye..."

She hung up, disappointed. _I don't know why Adrien's been on my mind so much lately... but he sure has._

Slowly, she trudged back up the stairs, only to hear her mother calling her. "Marinette? Could you... come up here... right NOW, please?"

 _Uh-oh_ , she thought. _THAT doesn't sound happy. What the heck was IN that box, anyway?_

She stepped into her room...

* * *

Back at the warehouse hideaway, Adrien munched on a sandwich while Plagg ate his Camembert. "My hand HAD felt funny lately. Tingly, for some reason. But it doesn't now, or at least not nearly as much."

"It won't... for now," confirmed Plagg. "For lack of a better word for it, you've fed off of that cashier. That should last you for a little while."

"Did I... do something bad to her?" asked Adrien, with a VERY concerned expression. "Did I really hurt her?"

"Nah, she'll be fine. It felt like a static spark, right? It was no worse than that. She might feel a little tired for a few minutes, but human energy is pretty resilient that way." Plagg grinned. "Don't worry about it."

"I kind of have to worry about it. What am I, now, some kind of energy vampire?" Adrien shuddered. "I know I joked about being a vigilante and haunting the night, but I didn't mean it THAT seriously."

"Well..." Plagg struggled for an explanation that wouldn't sound overly dire. "Let me put it this way. As long as you don't let it go too long without touching someone, it shouldn't get worse. You'll feel it both as Adrien and as Chat Noir. The problem is, every time you use Cataclysm as Chat Noir now, or let it go for too long... it's gonna get worse."

"Worse how?" asked Adrien, staring hard.

"Just... don't." Plagg gulped. "The more energy you draw out at once, the more you will disrupt them. Cataclysm can dissolve anyone or anything entirely, by draining all of its energy; this is, like, a lighter version of that. It starts out lighter, anyway. And since Cataclysm drains me pretty hard, if I'm grumpy and want a lot of cheese from now on, now you'll know why."

"So you're saying that if it keeps up and gets worse, I could start _killing_ people just by _touching_ them?" Adrien looked like he'd seen a ghost. "What in the world am I going to... Plagg, how do we fix this?"

"I don't know, kid. Right now, I just don't know. So let's be careful and NOT make it worse."

* * *

Marinette stared at the most surreal sight of her life... which, since she'd spent part of her day flying through the air while chasing a magical catboy, was saying quite a bit.

"Mom, Dad... WHAT just happened?" she stammered. "And who or what are YOU?"

"My name is Tikki, Marinette. I'm what's called a Kwami, the spirit of a Miraculous. A Miraculous is a magical charm that can grant superpowers..." Tikki began.

"ANOTHER one?" said Marinette, then kicked herself mentally.

"What do you mean by that?" asked Sabine and Tikki, simultaneously.

"Were you sent by... Papillon?" asked Marinette, cautiously. "Because he already reached me once today."

"Okay, I'm beyond lost," muttered Tom, trying to make sure that this wasn't some kind of elaborate dream of his.

"Wait a second. The MOTH powered you up already?" Tikki boggled. "What did you become?"

"Would SOMEONE please explain to Tom and I what the HECK is going on around here, before I fall over?" Sabine begged. "My brain is breaking."

"Let me go first, since I'm your unexpected guest... Wow. I don't usually do this with parents present, but what the heck, we're all here now," Tikki grinned.

Tikki gave the three the big briefing: what a Miraculous is, how it works, why it's given, which one she represented, what other ones existed, the necessity of keeping it secret.

"I had been wondering, what the deal was with the whole insect thing..." Marinette giggled. "First I met the Moth, then I turned into Firefly, now you're a Ladybug..."

"Turned... into Firefly?" Tom wondered. "Marinette, can you explain what you mean by that?"

* * *

"Someone didn't watch the news this afternoon," Sabine replied. "I saw the footage of a... superheroine on Channel 3, an insect girl and a cat boy saving people's lives from runaway pipes. How in the WORLD could that have been you, Marinette?"

"The Moth... or Papillon, as he called himself... can pass on superpowers through silver butterflies, temporarily. One fluttered through my hatch this morning, I talked to him about it, I accepted his offer... and, whammo, I could fly!" smiled Marinette, nervously. "For a little while, anyway. Once I used that lightning power, it went away soon after."

She turned towards Tikki. "So... if you're NOT from Papillon... how long do your powers last?"

"For as long as you want. Mine don't go away unless you want them to," said Tikki, with a calm expression. "If you use your hidden power, you have five minutes of energy left... but then once you've fed me something, you can transform again. And from what I smell downstairs, you've got _exactly_ the kind of sweets here that I adore."

Marinette looked awed. "So... you want me to be an _actual_ superhero?" She blinked. "For REAL? Why ME?"

"Let's just say that you impressed someone today, very much. Your compassion towards those who needed help, your courage in diving right in, your putting yourself in danger to help others... you are precisely the kind of person these powers are meant for. If you'll accept them," smiled Tikki.

"Is it dangerous?" asked Sabine, with visible concern.

"I won't lie and say that it couldn't be," Tikki answered, carefully. "Chat Noir needs to have his... powers tweaked, to put it one way, for his own good and for the safety of everyone around him. My... master believes he can fix what's wrong with Chat and make him a true force for good, but first we need Chat to agree to meet him, and while this Chat doesn't seem violent or evil... he is one of the few beings out there that could hurt Ladybug, if he wanted to."

"And that master's not his dad, right? He wanted _no_ part of going home, when I talked to him today," noted Marinette.

"DEFINITELY not," laughed Tikki. "My master has many things in his past, but no kids. He... Marinette, are you all right?"

She watched as Marinette froze for a moment, doing some mental math. _Now, WAIT a minute! Papillon wanted Chat Noir to come home. Chat Noir wanted nothing to do with his father right now. Adrien's run away from home, at the same time... and his father is desperate to find him._

 _...Can that possibly be a coincidence?_

"I'm... just thinking about something," she replied. "Some things are fitting together in my mind. Maybe." She stood up, looking at Tikki. "I won't lie to you, Tikki; it felt amazing flying over the city today, saving lives and protecting people. And if I'm needed to do that again, and to help save Chat Noir, too..."

"Are you sure this is something that you'd want to do?" her father asked, watching her put on the earrings from the jewelry box. "This is all very strange, and very sudden. I'm not sure how I feel about this."

"You could tell me no," Marinette said, facing her mother and father. "I don't know that I'm the right girl for the job... and I'll listen to you two, if you're against this."

"You really were Firefly today, Marinette?" Sabine asked. "Risking your life and saving people?"

Marinette gulped. "I was."

"Then I guess I'd better get used to having a hero in the family," she sniffled. "I'm so proud of you. I'll worry EVERY SINGLE SECOND about you, and you know that, but I'm so proud and I'll help however I can."

Tom nodded. "Before I change my mind..."

"Then why shouldn't the single craziest day of my life get even crazier?" giggled Marinette. She took a deep breath...

"Tikki... SPOTS ON!"

* * *

Next time:

* Together again for the first time!

* A tiny word of caution.

* Gabriel reacts to the new girl in town.

* Nathalie comes back from the hospital, feeling... better?

* Standard messaging rates may apply.

* NO, that is not Marinette's real phone number up there. Please don't dial it. Seriously.


	6. Harmonies and Discord

Let's Take It From The Top, Chapter 6: Harmonies and Discord

* * *

With wide eyes and a wider grin, Ladybug stood proudly in her bedroom... with her parents looking on with considerable wonder.

"If I didn't see it, I wouldn't have believed it," muttered Tom. "And I _still_ might not believe it."

"Marinette... you're still in there, right?" gasped Sabine, processing the situation.

"Oh, yeah, it's still all me," Ladybug assured her. "You cannot BELIEVE how this feels! I felt charged up as Firefly, but this is so different... for one, it's so _warm!_ I just feel this positive energy all through me! It's like Tikki's hugging me all the time. And as Ladybug, I feel so STRONG!"

"How strong can you be? I mean, you- YIIIIIIII!" Tom cried out, as a flick of Ladybug's wrist sent her yo-yo spiraling around her father, pulling him across the room to her side.

"OH! Um... that answer your question?" she giggled, as surprised as he was as to how easy it was for her. She released him with another wrist-snap. "Sorry about that, Daddy. Here..." she added, holding her hand out. "Punch my hand."

"Why would I..." Tom asked.

"I'm serious! Just do it. From what Tikki told me, I'm almost impossible to hurt. I _want_ you to try it!" grinned Ladybug. "I mean, don't take my head off on the first try, but I want to make sure I know how protective this really is!"

Hesitantly, Tom leaned back and threw a half-hearted punch at his daughter's outstretched hand, glancing off of it.

"Harder than that, Dad. I didn't even FEEL that."

"Really?" He tried again, a little harder.

"Nothing!" laughed Ladybug. "I mean, I feel the physical contact, I can tell that you threw a punch... but no pain, not even a twinge! Hard as you can, this time! I PROMISE you won't hurt me."

Tom looked at Sabine, questioningly, who shrugged back at him. "If she says so..."

Tom reared back and threw a hard haymaker at his daughter's hand, bracing for her response... and she laughed!

"See?" said Ladybug. "Tikki said I could get hit by a flying truck and not get hurt. NOT that I plan on testing that out!"

"What about the parts that aren't covered?" asked Sabine, reaching out towards Ladybug's face with an outstretched finger, a little hesitantly. "Can you feel this?"

"Yeah, the same way; I know you're touching me, but the magic extends all around me. This is so cool!" her daughter beamed.

"That makes me feel a little better about this, I guess," Tom smiled, "so I won't worry so much about you getting hurt out there."

"I'm her mother. That's my job," said Sabine. "Magic or not, I'm still going to worry."

* * *

"Spots off!" Ladybug called, reverting to Marinette and bringing Tikki back. "Tikki, this is AMAZING!" she bubbled. "Could you see any of that?"

"I can sense what you sense when you're Ladybug," Tikki confirmed. "I can't talk to you then, but I can hear what you say and hear. In some ways, I _am_ your costume."

"So I can't have a conversation with you as Ladybug, like I could with Papillon as Firefly," replied Marinette. "Good to know."

"About that..." Tikki got a somewhat worried expression on her face. "What did you and... Papillon talk about?"

"Well... he knew my name, for starters. He said he could scan surface thoughts, but no deeper. Mostly we talked about Chat Noir and talking him into going home, quietly," said Marinette. "He seemed nice enough. And so did Chat Noir, but Chat seemed to think Papillon was his father."

"Interesting..." Tikki mused. "Does that mean anything to you?"

"It might," Marinette admitted. "Though I can't say that for sure. A part of me has a strong suspicion about who they BOTH are. And if I'm right... wow!"

"Until we find out more about both of them... and probably even after we do... I need the three of you to promise me, here and now, that you will keep Ladybug's identity a secret. No friends, no extended family, no teachers, nobody can know who you are. And ESPECIALLY not Chat Noir or Papillon... for now, anyway." Tikki looked very serious. "The secret getting out could put any or all of you in danger."

"Not a word," Sabine promised.

"Same here," said Tom.

"Agreed," Marinette added, "but... what if I _do_ confirm that I know who Chat Noir is?"

"ESPECIALLY then," Tikki emphasized. "We can talk later about that. But Chat Noir, right now, is... well, unstable! It's largely why my master sent you the Ladybug Miraculous in the first place; we need to contain and purify Chat Noir without hurting him. We're both sure that you can do that, Marinette. But the more he knows about your Ladybug identity, the harder that might get."

"Okay... I'll follow your lead and keep my secret," Marinette swore. "No one would believe me anyway! As Marinette, the only super-power I have is super-clumsiness."

"And it's interesting that Papillon knows who you are... but NOT that you're Ladybug! If he ends up being an ally, that's fine... but if we're not so sure, that could be a way of getting information," pondered Tikki. "Either way... no, I'm just being paranoid. We'll certainly treat him as a friend unless something happens."

"You don't think that he is one?" wondered Marinette. "He seemed like one to me, today."

"His is a Miraculous that can be very powerful in the right hands... and very easily misused. We'll see," Tikki smiled. "I hope he is as good a person as he sounds."

* * *

Gabriel walked with Nathalie through the hallways of the hospital, watching as the orderly pushed her precautionary wheelchair. "I feel fine, I'm telling you," Nathalie smiled. "I could walk out of here on my own."

"You know how hospitals are, Nathalie; always cautious," smiled Gabriel. "You're really back to your old self now?"

"Once I get home and have a hot shower, maybe. And definitely something good to eat; I feel like I'm starving," she replied.

"The food here wasn't any good?" asked the orderly. "We get that a lot."

"Oh, it wasn't bad," Nathalie said. "For hospital food, at least. But not much beats home cooking."

"My chefs are at your disposal, of course," Gabriel said. "Unless you'd prefer takeout tonight?"

"I'll figure that out when I get back," she smiled. As they approached the car, the family bodyguard came around and opened the passenger door for her. He reached out to help her up out of the chair...

*SNAP*

"Ow!" she said, as the bodyguard grunted in pain.

"What was that?" Gabriel wondered. "Are you two all right?"

"I don't know what's been going on, the last couple of days..." Nathalie noted. "If it's something in the air, or the blankets on my bed, or what... but I just seem to be full of static electricity, and I'm not sure why! I've been shocking people quite a bit lately."

The bodyguard grumbled, rubbing his hand as he walked back to the driver's seat. Gabriel climbed in the back, and as the car set out on its way, asked, "Do you want to stop for something to eat on the way home, Nathalie?"

"Actually... no, I'll wait," she replied. "For some reason, I'm not as hungry as I was a few minutes ago."

* * *

Adrien sat in his warehouse hideaway, morose, wondering what he could possibly do now.

 _Great. Now I'm not just a runaway, I'm a potentially lethal runaway! And Plagg said a lot of things, but "we can get that fixed" wasn't one of them._

 _I don't want to hurt ANYONE. But I can't just sit here until I run out of options..._

He looked at his phone, which was now blinking a voice mail message icon at him. He clicked, and listened...

 _Oh..._

 _Oh, gosh. She's really worried about me! That's so... I..._

 _NOW what do I do? Twenty minutes ago, I wanted to talk to Marinette and see her again more than just about anything. Now I don't know that I dare to!_

Adrien looked over at Plagg, who was settling into a post-Camembert coma.

 _I'm going to do this before I chicken out, or before Plagg can talk me out of it. I can't put Marinette in danger... but I really COULD use a friend right now. Even if it's just for a few minutes._

* * *

Marinette's phone bleeped at her, signifying an incoming message.

 **[Adrien] Thank you for thinking of me. I'm doing okay. Please don't worry about me.**

"Oh, my gosh!" she exclaimed, then answered her parents' questioning looks with "...It's from Adrien!"

Seeing her daughter's anxious face, Sabine tugged at Tom's sleeve. "Come on, you. Let's give the girl some privacy."

As they left Marinette's room, Tom whispered to Sabine, "I thought he wasn't her boyfriend?"

Sabine smiled back, "...Not yet," and let an enigmatic grin say the rest.

* * *

Marinette flopped onto her bed and started pounding on her phone's virtual keyboard, with a practiced hand and a look of determination. _You're not getting away from me this time, Mister!_

 **[Marinette] It's a little too late for me not to worry, don't you think? Where the heck are you?**

She stared at her phone, trying to force his reply through will alone...

 **[Adrien]** **Someplace warm and dry. Well, dry, at least. Kind of hiding out for now.**

 **[Marinette] Hiding out from who? Your father?**

 **[Adrien] ...Everyone.**

 **[Marinette] If you think you need to hide from me, you really don't know me very well.**

 **[Marinette] If you think that you CAN hide from me... ;)**

 **[Adrien] I really do appreciate that. But I don't want to drag you into this.**

 **[Adrien] I just wanted to let you know that I'm okay, and to say goodbye for now.**

 **[Adrien] I'll get back in touch when and if things start making sense again.**

Marinette stared at her phone, shocked...

 **[Marinette] No.**

 **[Marinette] No, you're NOT doing that, Adrien.**

 **[Marinette] I am NOT going to let a friend suffer when I can help him. Not happening!**

 **[Marinette] How can I be here for you?**

* * *

Adrien stared at his phone, in mild disbelief.

 _She really does want to help. I really could USE her help. But do I have the right to get her involved in this craziness?_

Abruptly, his phone started ringing. Seeing who was calling, Adrien smiled.

 _Evidently, she thinks that I do._

He picked up...

"ADRIEN! Thank goodness you answered. Do you have any idea what I've been like over here?" Marinette half-shouted at him.

"I told you, I don't want you to worry about me! We barely know each other..." Adrien attempted.

"...And your point is?" Marinette sassed back. "This is happening. I'm part of your life now, so start talking!"

Adrien couldn't help but laugh, as another chunk of his heart suddenly had _Reserved for Marinette_ stamped on it in indelible ink. "You're something special, you know that?" he replied, a little dreamily. "Right now, I'm okay, day-to-day. I have my wallet, my credit card, some cash..."

"So you're eating and sleeping, at least? That's good. How about clothes? You don't take any medications, or anything?" she asked.

"No, no meds. I'm pretty low-maintenance." He sniffed at his shirt and wrinkled his nose. "Clothes, well, I'll admit I could probably use a change soon."

"I can imagine. I'm trying not to," Marinette laughed. "Can we, like... arrange to meet somewhere? I can bring you some things, and I'll feel better if I _see_ that you're okay."

"I'm... not sure that that's a good idea, Marinette..." Adrien said, downcast. "It's really hard to explain, but... there's something _wrong_ with me. Something that could end up being very dangerous. I really don't want to put you at risk... I just _can't."_

There was a pause on the other end of the line. "You do NOT think that you can just say that out loud and not explain yourself," demanded Marinette. "I will climb through this phone if I have to, Adrien."

Adrien sat in silence, wondering how to respond.

"Look... I'm scared by this too, okay? I'm not exactly the Runaway Hotline that everybody calls. I've never been in a situation like this before," she added. "And if this IS, like, drugs or crime or gangs or something, I don't WANT to get too involved, so be straight with me on that?"

"It's totally not. I swear," Adrien replied. "My life is usually about as dangerous as a dandelion. It's... I have something really weird happening to me right now, something I couldn't have imagined a few days ago. If I tried to explain it to you, you'd think I was insane."

"You might be surprised," Marinette smiled, dryly. "Maybe I can't help much. But even if you just need someone to talk things out with... you reach out, okay? I'm here for you."

"I... I will." Resistance was futile. "Marinette, I just want you to know that..."

Marinette heard him pause... then some sudden shouting near him... and then nothing, as the call disconnected.

 _WHAT the HECK?_ she thought...

* * *

As Adrien struggled to respond to Marinette's kindness, he heard footsteps entering the room, and a bright light flashed onto him.

"HEY!" shouted someone in a security guard's uniform. "I THOUGHT I heard someone in here! There's nothing here for you to steal, kid!"

Quickly, Adrien's finger stabbed at the Disconnect button on his phone. He put his hands up while backing away, slowly, trying to keep his face out of the light. "I'm not stealing anything, I swear!" he called back. "I just needed somewhere to be for a few days, honest."

"Yeah, yeah. Breaking and entering is a crime, you know that, right? This is private property, not for squatters. C'mere..."

The security guard approached, and Adrien's panic instinct kicked in. _What should I do? I can't let him catch me! I don't think he's gotten a very good look at me..._

Adrien ran for the back of the room, looking for somewhere to hide for a moment. An old filing cabinet fit the bill, and he ducked behind it, ignoring the guard's shouts.

 _Sorry, Plagg, but you're about to wake up the hard way._

"CLAWS OUT!" he called.

* * *

"Oh, wow..." muttered Marinette. "Tikki... what should I do?" She explained the situation to Tikki as quickly as she could.

"Well... two things," Tikki replied. "One, this is a friend, and you think he's in danger?"

"Very possibly. That didn't sound good at all, right before he hung up," Marinette gulped. "Sudden shouting, then he disappeared."

"And you suspect that he might also be Chat Noir?"

"Yeah, I do," admitted Marinette. "Every piece of the puzzle fits."

"Then go to him," said Tikki. "Don't let on that you know his dual identity yet, or tell him yours... but transform and go find him. Let's keep him in one piece."

"I can't fly as Ladybug, can I?" Marinette asked. "When I transformed earlier, it didn't feel the same as before."

"No, this Ladybug doesn't have wings. But your yo-yo will be the next best thing, I promise," Tikki smiled. "You'll be amazed at how fast you can go, which is good, because we have a lot of the city to search. I doubt he's TOO far from familiar places - his house, his school, things he knows - so start a little distance out from those, and look for anything strange."

"That's a good idea, Tikki. And when I do find him?

Tikki said, "I'm still figuring that out. He needs my master to see him... but we can't take him there. Do you have a place where he can go in the meantime, somewhere safe for a day or two?"

Marinette gestured around her, at her room. "I've done it before. Though this time I'd rather give my folks a little warning. Or we can figure something else out..."

The Kwami nodded. "That'd work for now. We don't need to do anything crazy... just make him comfortable until we can stabilize him. Are you ready, Marinette?"

"Spots on!"

* * *

On her balcony, Ladybug looked around at the neighboring buildings and wondered how to begin. _Okay, I have special powers... and apparently this amazing super yo-yo thingy?_

She mentally measured off the distance to a distant cathedral, aimed for a gargoyle statue high up on it, and slung her yo-yo hard... and, to her surprise, it REACHED it, wrapping around it securely.

 _WOW! That was just a test throw to see how far it could go!_ thought Ladybug. _I didn't think I'd HIT it from here!_

Ladybug took hold of the string, a little nervously. "Come on, Marinette," she muttered to herself. "This can't be THAT much different from flying as Firefly, can it?"

She tugged on it, gently...

"Y-y-y-y-y-yes, it ca-a-a-a-a-a-a-an!" she screamed, as she clung to the yo-yo, soaring through the air at ridiculous speed.

* * *

The security guard stepped forward, warily. "Look, kid, there's no way out of this room other than through me, and I know where you're hiding. So come out, already, or I'll have to get rough," he yelled.

To his surprise, a dark figure with blonde hair flipped onto the top of the filing cabinet the guard was watching, assuming a three-point stance atop it. "That's no way to treat your friendly neighborhood stray cat," he laughed. "Terrible for your reputation."

"Oh, you wanna play games, do you?" grinned the guard, pulling out and brandishing a nightstick.

"Dogs fetch sticks, not cats!" the young man quipped. "You're REALLY not up on your animal handling techniques."

 _Hmmm. He's not a small guy. I wonder how much punishment this suit can absorb?_ Chat wondered to himself. This _would be an excellent time to NOT find out!_

"Lucky for you, I do like sticks. I even brought my own!" Chat Noir displayed his baton, waggling it teasingly, then pointed it at the guard's nightstick and pressed a button on the hilt. The baton extended rapidly, knocking the nightstick cleanly out of the guard's hands and sending it to the opposite end of the room!

"Um..." the guard deadpanned, stunned.

"Well... I'd hate to say that I haven't had a splendid time with you... but I haven't," grinned Chat, darting around the guard and out the door from which he'd entered. "Ta!"

As he took off down the street, Chat had mixed emotions. _I'm happy how I handled that... but now where the heck am I going to go? There are only so many deserted buildings to go around in Paris. I know they chase people off the park benches sometimes... I'll have to think about this._

He watched the streetlights flickering on around him, as the early evening sky continued to darken. _Guess I'll have to think fast..._

* * *

Finishing up his business of the moment, Gabriel Agreste retreated to his private office and closed and locked the door. Once alone, his Kwami floated out alongside him.

"G-gabriel..." Nooroo stated, "I think I'm ready when you are."

"Thank you, Nooroo," smiled Gabriel, who then closed his eyes and focused his concentration.

After a moment, he opened them again. "I sense several strong candidates... though Marinette is not among them right now. Which is fine; I think she deserves some rest, don't you?"

"We all have our bad days, or she might just be out of range right now," Nooroo shrugged. "I'm sure she'll appear on your radar again sometime."

"And since we cannot sense where Adrien may be, as himself or as Chat Noir, it's a guessing game as to which candidate might be closest to him. Or I could just let it fly and hope for the best..." mused Gabriel.

"It's not a bad option," replied Nooroo. "A host with good mobility can cover a lot of ground, and you might get lucky."

"All right then... if you're sure?"

Nooroo nodded.

"Nooroo... Spread your wings!"

* * *

 _Okay, I need to be smart about this if I'm going to find him. I got lucky last time,_ thought Ladybug, gradually getting used to dashing across rooftops and swinging across Paris. _Now, first off... am I looking for Adrien, or for Chat Noir? I'm pretty sure they're one and the same, but who is he more likely to be right now if he is?_

 _PROBABLY Chat Noir,_ she reasoned. _If I was alone at night in Paris, and likely not in a friendly part of it, I'd rather be a costumed hero than an ordinary teenager. But he kind of stands out in either form, so if I luck out and get near him, I should recognize him._

 _And as for where to look... Tikki had a very good idea. I'll start with places I think Adrien would be comfortable in, and kind of work my way out from there. Though he hinted that he wasn't in the nicest part of town, and he wasn't when I found him yesterday, either... That'd be a pretty good neighborhood to start from, and double back towards where I think he'd go._

 _I'd like to think that a handsome catboy running through the streets would get quite a reaction..._

 _Handsome? Did I think that?_

 _Yeah, he is handsome. AND a little crazy. Remember that part, too, before you get too excited!_

 _So, anyway, if I keep an ear out for unusual reactions, I'm liable to swing right into him._

Ladybug leaped off of the last rooftop in a row of buildings - _THAT'S going to take some getting used to doing!,_ she gulped - and hurled her yo-yo out towards a traffic light pole. Instead of the quick stop she was trying to make, she swung around it five or six times, and very nearly wrapped herself up onto it with her own yo-yo string.

 _Whew!_ she thought. _At the rate I'm going, I'm liable to LITERALLY swing right into him, and knock him into next week..._

* * *

Chat Noir kept running, even though he was surely well out of range of the security guard by now. It felt good to cut loose and burn off some anxious energy, and besides, he didn't seem to be getting tired at all!

A loud noise on a neighboring street caught his attention. "Stop! Thief!" someone was shouting.

 _Well, now! Maybe I ought to earn a little positive karma on my ledger..._

* * *

Lieutenant Roger Raincomprix was NOT having a good day.

He was lucky enough to be in the neighborhood when a purse-snatcher struck... but the thief in question was a lot younger, a lot more nimble, and certainly faster on his feet. Roger was doing his best to at least keep the thief in sight... but he was huffing and puffing, badly.

The thief looked back over his right shoulder and grinned, seeing the officer slowly receding into the distance. He looked forwards again... then yelped in surprise, as suddenly there was someone in black leather running alongside of him, matching him step for step!

"I have to say, your fashion sense is really lacking. Don't you know that you should never steal a white purse after Labor Day?" said the dark figure, with a toothy grin.

"HUH?" sputtered the thief, thrown off balance.

"Or is that the American Labor Day? Sometimes I mix those up," the newcomer laughed. He watched the thief cock his arm back to take a swing at him. "Think fast!" he called.

In one motion, he ducked underneath the thrown punch, then hipchecked the thief into a tall shrubbery by the side of the road.

"Thbbpplf!" grunted the thief, spitting leaves and twigs out of his mouth, still trying to disentangle himself when Roger caught up to him.

"When... I say 'Stop'... you STOP!" panted Roger. Seeing that the thief wasn't going anywhere, he turned to the person responsible for that. "And what are YOU supposed to be?" asked Roger, scratching his head, taking in the image of the young, blonde cat-man before him.

"You can call me Chat Noir. Just trying to help out Paris's finest, while I'm in the neighborhood." He waved and darted away, quickly.

"Wait! I'll need you to fill out an eyewitness report," Roger called... then turned back, seeing that there was no chance of catching up to him. "And as for YOU..."

"Get these - blearrrgh! - leaves out of my nose and I'll surrender," sighed the thief.

* * *

Chat Noir rounded the next corner, then dashed to a nearby bench to catch his breath for a moment. _Okay, I _do_ get tired_ , he thought _. But it takes quite a bit, and that was worth the effort!_

"Very nice, kittycat! I couldn't have done it much better myself," called a voice from above.

Chat's eyes went wide and he sprang to attention. "Firefly?" he called out, hopefully.

"A different bug," said the voice, "but just as impressed." Chat heard footfalls behind him, and turned to see a slim young woman in a domino mask and a red-and-black spotted suit, form-fitting like a bodystocking. "I saw that assist from up high. I'm glad to see you're using your powers for good reasons."

"Huh!" remarked Chat. "Is there, like, a Legion of Super-Insects or something? And are they all adorable girls?"

"Not all of us. Dung Beetle and Stinkbug are guys, but we don't let them out of our headquarters much," Ladybug quipped. "I'm only kidding... I'm Ladybug. I assume you're the mysterious Chat Noir? You're certainly dressed for the part."

Chat looked Ladybug up and down. _She looks about my age. More agile than muscular, but I bet I shouldn't underestimate her. Cute, too! She's not quite Firefly-cute... but who else could be? And she's_ _not that far off, to be honest._

"I am, indeed. To what do I owe the honor? You're the second lovely heroine I've met today, which is two more than I thought I would," Chat drawled. "You weren't sent by my father, too, were you? One of his temporary superheroes?"

"Now, THAT I can promise, I wasn't. While I'd like to meet Papillon sometime... no butterflies here." She twirled her yo-yo in a circle, with a grin. "I have a Miraculous, just like you do."

"You do?" Chat was dumbstruck. "...How? Where did it come from?"

"A sale at Carrefour?" she smiled. "Why, where did you get yours?"

"I..." Chat stammered, "can't really tell you."

"Which is why I can't say, either," said Ladybug. "But I promise that I mean you no harm. I'm here to help, if I can."

"What makes you think that I need help?" said Chat, a little too defiantly.

"My Kwami told me - and if you're wondering if I do have a Miraculous, ask me how I know who THOSE are - that one of those people I can't talk about can sense imbalances in the magic world. That he thinks there was some kind of accident with the Cat and the Moth together, and that your powers might be messed up right now. Can you tell me if I'm on the right track, please?"

 _HOW does she know all this?_ _Plagg mentioned a 'Guardian' a while ago - and that if HE sent someone, I was in real trouble..._

"Did a... Guardian send you?" Chat asked, in a hushed tone.

* * *

A strangely transformed figure wandered the streets of Paris, looking for something... or someone... intently.

"Can you sense Chat Noir nearby?" asked the energy signature, flashing over his face.

"I can," came the reply. "He is close. In fact... I think I have found him now!"

Papillon concentrated hard, focusing on what his new partner could sense. "Yes... yes, I think that is Chat Noir. Good work! But who is he with... WHAT?!"

"Papillon?" asked the transformed man, confused. "Are you all right, mon ami?"

There was no immediate reply, as Papillon was lost in his thoughts.

 _A Ladybug... HERE? I spent all that time searching the world for the other half of the puzzle, and she drops right into my lap in my OWN CITY? Standing next to my SON?_

"I... was not expecting this," he managed. "At all! Hold your position for now. I must consider how to proceed."

* * *

Ladybug got a funny look on her face. "I'll be straight with you, Chat; I don't know that for sure. I haven't been told everything." She stepped slightly closer, not wanting to spook him. "What I do know is that I'm not here to fight you, or capture you, or harm you. I want to help you figure out what you need to do next, and at least get you off the street. Does that sound fair?"

"It... does," Chat replied. "I don't know if I can trust you... but something about you makes me feel like I should. Where should we go?"

"C'mon," gestured Ladybug. "Let's at least get out of the middle of the street, and find somewhere quiet where we can talk this out..."

* * *

As the pair prepared to leave, the mysterious figure stood up. "They are leaving, Papillon! I will move in quickly, so as not to lose them!"

"NO, you fool!" cried Papillon. "Not yet! Not until... aaaagh! Too late..."

* * *

Heavy footsteps interrupted the thoughts of Ladybug and Chat Noir. They turned as one, with a strange sight in front of them.

"Hello! Is this a private party, or might I have a word?" the strange figure called out.

Ladybug stared at him, a bit incredulous. "...What?" was about all she could manage.

Chat Noir leapt back, crouching defensively. "You had me going there for a minute, Miss... but two-on-one still isn't enough to take me in!"

"Hold on!" Ladybug called out, frustrated. "You don't really think that HE'S with me, do you? ...Arrgh! You do." Spinning her yo-yo, she moved to a position where she could watch both of them, and an uneasy triangle formed...

* * *

Next time:

* Who IS that not-so-masked man?

* Alliances can be fragile, can shift easily... and can break easily.

* A snap decision has some consequences.

* Pondering what comes next...

* *TH-BMMP!*


	7. Unexpected Duets

Let's Take It From The Top, Chapter 7: Unexpected Duets

* * *

Ladybug sighed with frustration. _Chat Noir was actually listening to me, until YOU showed up... whoever you are!_

"Dare I ask who _you_ are?" she asked the heavy figure. She looked him up and down; he appeared to be garbed in a high-tech suit of armor, except that... okay, maybe "high-tech" wasn't quite the right descriptor for it. _It's almost like it was made out of... ice cream?_

"There are those who call me... the DAIRY DYNAMO!" he bellowed, proudly. "Justice, like vengeance... is best served COLD."

"Ohhh-kay, then!" boggled Chat Noir. "We're officially past the part of my day that makes sense. Can I assume that Papillon sent you, and that there isn't a Gelato Miraculous?"

The energy signature flashed across the Dynamo's face, which was all the confirmation Ladybug needed to see. "You may tell him that, yes. Do not harm either of them... but do not let them leave, either," Papillon ordered him. "Once you have captured them, I will instruct you further."

"Both, Papillon?" murmured the hefty hero, under his breath.

"Talk first, force second," his benefactor explained. "If you can convince them to come with you voluntarily, that's preferable. If they try to leave, stop them. The boy is the priority; the girl..." Papillon trailed off for a moment. "If necessary, capture her as well, and I will apologize profusely when I meet her for the inconvenience."

In his office, Papillon struggled with his decision-making. _The girl has done nothing wrong. She may well be a considerable force for good; I don't want her harmed at all. But with the unfathomable power she represents...! I must at least speak with her, whether she wants to or not, for all of our sakes._

Satisfied with his orders, the Dynamo turned to Chat Noir. "Papillon sent me, oui. He needs to confer with the two of you, most urgently; it is a matter of grave importance, and the safety of all Paris may be at risk! May I ask the two of you to accompany me?"

"Two of us?" interjected Ladybug. "What would Papillon want with me? How would he even know who I am?"

"It's... a long story?" evaded the Dynamo. "I'm sure he will explain when we get where we're going."

Ladybug looked at Chat, questioningly. "What do you think?" she asked. "I'm not going to tell you what to do."

Chat pondered his options. _I'm not sure about this Ladybug yet... but she's got a lot more credibility right now than Dairy Boy here. I _know_ he's my dad's puppet._

"Hard pass, sorry," Chat smiled. "To both of you. If I want to go home, I know exactly where that is; Dad doesn't have to send a walking dessert to collect me. And as for you, my lady... maybe some other time, we'll talk things out when we don't have frosty company."

Ladybug frowned... then took a step forward. "Look, Chat... I promise-"

Swiftly, the Dynamo pounded the pavement with both frozen fists... and a shockwave roared down the street, separating the two and knocking each off their feet!

"I am afraid that I must insist, little ones. The stakes are higher than you know."

* * *

"Careful, Dynamo," cautioned Papillon. "You're supposed to be a hero, remember? Pull your punches."

"My apologies, mon ami. Sorry, children! I am still learning my own strength," he apologized.

Ladybug regained her feet, glaring at her frozen attacker. "If I had any thoughts of going with you, that fixed THAT." She spun her yo-yo, assumed a defensive stance, and turned to Chat Noir... who was backing away from both of them.

"I'm still not sure about either of you," Chat replied. "I'm surprised you're even still here... unless you really ARE on his side."

"For one thing," Ladybug snapped, "he just attacked ME, too. For another, I didn't come find you just to bat my eyes at you and run away."

Chat smiled. "They are pretty eyes, though."

"Not the time or place, Chat." Despite herself, she grinned a little. "What's your plan?"

"This is like the old comic book cliche, y'know?" he said. "Heroes meet for the first time, there's a big misunderstanding, they fight, and then they make up and go out for ice cream later." He gestured with his baton, adding, "Except the ice cream's already here."

"I wouldn't know that one," Ladybug smiled. "I was more into Tintin than superheroes. Less flirting, more running, you think?"

"Running will not help," the Dynamo grinned. "Muscles are not all that I have to share! Let's see what I'll dish out to keep you right there... Peach pink like his lips and mint like his eyes! Hold still while I give you a frosty surprise..."

He raised both arms and let loose with a dual barrage of frozen fury, pumping ice cream at both young heroes at high velocity as if from fire hoses. Both of them dodged the initial assault, though the Dynamo was agile enough to force them to keep moving.

"Hey! I'm watching my figure over here," glared Ladybug. "This costume doesn't have room for a Freshman Fifteen."

"It does look pretty good, though," Chat quipped. "The ice cream, I mean. Though it's probably not lactose-free..."

"This would be so much nicer if you'd just come with me," sang the Dynamo. "But if I must subdue you, I will, c'est la vie?"

"And to think I was gonna ask Firefly to get ice cream at your cart with me!" Chat yelled. "This is not good salesmanship!"

"Wait, you wanted to ask _Firefly_ out? For ANDRE'S Sweetheart Ice Cream?" Ladybug hesitated... then got a faceful of strawberry as a result of being distracted, knocking her over.

"Why wouldn't I?" asked Chat. "She's perfectly adorable. Is that a problem?"

"No, why... would it be?" replied Ladybug, regaining her feet. "I'm just... surprised, that's all."

"Have you met her?" She clearly had Chat's attention. "If you have, has she ever mentioned me?"

"Ahem!" shouted the Dynamo. "It's not that your flirting's not precious today... but I think that it's time that I put you away!" He raised both hands to the sky, his arms glowed with power, and he shouted, "FROZEN STORM!"

A gigantic torrent of ice cream shot from both barrels, knocking over both heroes... and quickly submerging them in huge piles of frozen sludge, hardening rapidly!

* * *

"UGH!" Ladybug cried, struggling to get free, but unable to pull more than one arm loose. "This s-stuff is like... freezing c-cold c-concrete! LUCKY..."

She stopped herself, abruptly. _I can't do that now! If I use Lucky Charm and CAN'T get free, I'll change back to Marinette in front of both of them!_

 _But... do I really have a choice?_

Ladybug looked over at Chat Noir, who was similarly pinned down. His eyes were closed, and he was concentrating on something.

Papillon's energy signature flashed. "You've succeeded in capturing them... but now you only have five minutes of power left! How long will the entrapment last?"

"An hour or two, I suspect," the Dynamo said. "Enough time for you to get here, or send someone, or whatever you need."

"I've almost g-g-got one l-l-leg free, Chat," Ladybug gasped, her teeth chattering from the intense cold. "You got an-n-nything?"

"...Ch-h-hat?" she repeated.

* * *

Chat Noir concentrated hard, weighing his options. _Please don't make me do this,_ he thought. _It's only going to make my condition worse, Plagg said..._

He turned his head and saw Ladybug struggling, visibly suffering from the freezing cold block encasing her, and made his decision. _But I'm not abandoning her,_ he thought.

"CATACLYSM!" he shouted...

...and in a flash of dark energy, the ice cream block encasing him vanished abruptly.

"Let's see what you've got... now?" he began, looking around. He saw a portly armored man running away, conscious of his own ticking timer, and the groaning Ladybug next to him. _The girl_ _'s not going anywhere,_ he thought, _so I could go take down Andre and come back..._

 _...ah, no way I'd do that! He'll be harmless in a few minutes. She's in pain, and that's WAY more important._

"Hold still, Ladybug," Chat said, readying his baton. "I'm going to chip away at this and I don't want to hit you."

"O-okay," she murmured, closing her eyes.

A few strikes knocked away enough of the frozen concoction to let Ladybug pull herself the rest of the way free; she reached out and took Chat's extended left hand to help her regain her feet.

"Th-hank you," Ladybug replied. "I owe y-you one."

"Maybe someday I'll collect on that. But for now, my own timer's running... so I will say _au revoir_ , until we meet again, fair mademoiselle." He flashed a toothy smile, then took off at his typical high speed.

"W-wait!" she tried to call after him... but he was far away too quickly, and she was in no condition to chase after him, still shaking off the shivers.

* * *

A block away, the Dairy Dynamo huffed and puffed. "Did I err badly, Papillon?" he asked. "I have failed you."

"No, my friend," Papillon reassured him. "You tried your best. No one was hurt, and I gained some very valuable information from your encounter, and I thank you for both of those."

"Good," he smiled. "I am not really cut out for the superhero lifestyle... perhaps many years and many kilograms ago... but I wanted to help."

"And you did," said Papillon. "For now, I would suggest getting to some cover, where your transformation back will not be noticed. Perhaps our paths will cross again..."

Papillon broke contact, transformed back to Gabriel, and pondered what to do next.

 _Clearly, that was more forceful an approach than I would have preferred. If anything, we alienated Ladybug more than we persuaded her! Her voluntary cooperation would be FAR more useful than any chest-beating or bullying could produce. I don't want her thinking that Papillon is some... one-dimensional dime-store supervillain._

 _But how much information dare I share with her about my situation?_

 _And with the fulfillment of my dream now within reach... how CAN I resist simply reaching out and seizing it?_

Nooroo floated over to him, cautiously. "Are you all right, Gabriel?" he asked.

"I am, my little friend. I'm just... troubled. Searching for the right path."

* * *

Chat Noir flew from one rooftop to the next, running and jumping until he felt he was safely out of range of potential pursuit, then dropped back down to street level. Out of sight of anyone, he transformed back to Adrien, and quickly had Plagg in his face.

"WHAT did I tell you?" the Kwami hollered. "The more you use Cataclysm, the worse your out-of-control powers will get!"

"Did I really have a choice there? It was either break free or be captured by my father's goon," Adrien snapped back. "I didn't want to, but that girl and I were both helpless unless I did! AND she was suffering! My costume has a lot more insulation, apparently."

"THAT GIRL," Plagg retorted, "was LADYBUG! She had her own power she could have used! She's proof that the Guardian is not only still alive, but nearby!"

"How do you mean?" asked Adrien.

"The Ladybug and the Cat are the two most powerful of the Miraculouses. THAT'S the Creation Miraculous you needed that night! No Guardian would ever let that one out of his sight, unless another Miraculous was out of control. Lucky for YOU, the Guardian seems to have picked someone gentle to wield it." Plagg looked nervous. "And even then, you'd better watch your step around her."

"She's that powerful?" Adrien marveled. "She didn't seem like it back there."

"Maybe the girl's still learning how it works. Or maybe her Kwami has her pulling her punches. But, trust me, don't underestimate _any_ Ladybug," answered Plagg. "You'd be amazed what she can pull out of thin air to beat anyone she faces. Her powers of pure luck are legendary."

Plagg's words registered in Adrien's head, abruptly. "WAIT! So... with her Miraculous, I _could_ cast a proper wish?"

"NO! Don't even think about it! Really, really, REALLY bad idea! Or haven't you caused enough trouble yet?" shouted Plagg. "Look, let me explain it like you didn't give me a chance to explain that night! Creation and Destruction together CAN cast a wish... but the universe will balance it. So if you wish for a million dollars, someone else _loses_ that million dollars. If you wish for true love, someone else loses theirs. And if you wish to bring someone back to life..."

Adrien turned pale as a ghost. "...I nearly did _that?"_ he gasped.

"You nearly did that. But you didn't, and now you KNOW not to," soothed Plagg. "You're not the kind of person who'd hurt anyone else on purpose; I can tell that just by being with you. I think you'll be a good Chat Noir, after all. But you have a responsibility to keep anyone else from misusing Miraculouses, and we have to find some way of fixing you. But first, and even more importantly... my stomach is growling! I need something to eat, and soon!"

Adrien winced. "I think my soul is growling. I can feel that weird hunger again."

"It's too soon for that. This is what I was afraid of... look, let's go get something, okay? I can't help if I'm too weak," asked Plagg.

"Yeah. We'll figure something out."

* * *

Ladybug plopped down on her balcony, feeling a little better, and transformed back. She climbed down into her room and wrapped a blanket around herself to finish warming herself up.

"Did I do okay, Tikki?" she asked her Kwami, who looked on with concern.

"Definitely. You have just the right personality for this," Tikki smiled. "You were getting through to Chat Noir, I could tell."

"And then Captain Banana Split had to show up," Marinette grumbled. "When Papillon reached out to ME, he seemed like a decent guy. This hero did attack us, but he didn't seem like he was trying to hurt us. More like hold us in one place... and I can't say I hadn't thought about yo-yoing Chat and taking him wherever, but I decided against that."

"He'd be harder to hold onto than you realize," said Tikki. "You're more evenly matched than you know."

"All the more reason not to try to force him into anything," reasoned Marinette. "If Ladybug _can_ convince him to play along, what should I do? I can't ask you that while I'm Ladybug, and I don't want to transform back in front of him."

"Hmmm. I can't tell you who to contact, yet..." Tikki debated what to do. "Can I have your phone for a second?"

"Sure," Marinette said, handing it over with a curious expression.

Tiny red hands worked for a moment, then Tikki said, "There."

Marinette looked it over, and saw a new contact with an unfamiliar phone number, marked IN CASE OF CHAT BREAK GLASS.

"If you're in a spot where Chat agrees to being helped, you're alone and you're Ladybug, call that number. Hint that you're Ladybug and tell him what's happening. He'll guide you from there," advised Tikki. "But ONLY use it in those circumstances. And be sure about it before you call."

"Who's going to answer?" wondered Marinette.

"An older gentleman. That's all I'm saying for now," Tikki replied. "Are you feeling any better?"

"I am, thanks," she said. "I think I'll go down and talk with my parents for a little while, then have some hot tea or something and go upstairs, get a little night air."

* * *

In a convenience store, a young man was shopping quickly, while a tiny cat was unamused.

"CHEESE PUFFS?" howled Plagg, as quietly as he could from Adrien's pocket. "THAT'S your idea of a cheesy snack?"

"Look, I'm not thrilled about junk food, either!" hissed Adrien. "But we're running out of pocket money, and if I make a withdrawal from an ATM or use my credit card, my dad will know where I am!"

"It might be worth the risk," insisted Plagg, with a mouthful of cheesy corn bits. "If it's that or eating this crap..."

"Hey, maybe let me pay for that before you wolf it down?" nagged Adrien.

His attention was diverted by a couple of boys near the entrance, one of whom was becoming quite loud. Adrien surveyed the situation; one looked extremely large and menacing, while the smaller one looked very scared.

 _Hmmm,_ he thought. _I wonder..._

* * *

"I TOLD YOU, you don't talk to me like that!" shouted the bully, getting in the face of his companion. "How many times do I have to tell you?"

"Javier, please..." the smaller boy cringed. "I didn't mean to..."

The bigger boy loomed over him, threateningly, only to be surprised when a third person poked his nose into their confrontation. "Excuse me," Adrien said, "is there something wrong here?"

The bully whirled around, glaring at Adrien. "Excuse ME," he yelled, "but it's none of your freakin' business, kid!"

"Perhaps not," Adrien said, looking up at him coolly, "but I find it hard to believe that anyone deserves to be yelled at like that."

"And what are you going to do about it?" the bully growled, raising himself up to his full height.

Adrien looked at the smaller boy, who gave him as subtle a "No" head-shake as he could. _Don't_ , he mouthed, silently.

"Look, I'm just saying -"

Adrien reached out, slowly and gently, with his right hand and touched the left arm of the burly boy.

*SNAP!*

"-that you may be overreacting a little," he finished. "Is that possible?"

The bigger boy jumped in pain... and then collapsed, nearly falling over. It was like the air suddenly whooshing out of a rage balloon, taking all his adrenaline with it.

"Are you all right?" Adrien asked, with apparent concern.

"Yeah... uh... yeah," he managed. "Maybe I... did get... carried away. I, uh... sorry about that," he added to his companion.

The smaller boy stared at Adrien, wide-eyed. Adrien gave him a tiny shrug in return. "Are YOU all right?" Adrien asked him. "You can get home, or talk it out, or whatever you need to do?"

"Y-yeah," he managed. "I think I can do that."

* * *

Adrien walked out of the store as nonchalantly as he could. A wide-eyed Kwami stared at him from his shirt pocket.

"Did you just zap that guy on PURPOSE?" Plagg asked. "I mean, he totally deserved it, but, whoa!"

"I needed to stop the 'hunger', right? You needed energy, he needed energy, that guy needed anything BUT angry energy before he did something really stupid." Adrien shrugged, "It seemed like the thing to do at the time. Was that wrong of me?"

"Nah. You did good... and only you could find a way to do something POSITIVE with this. But be careful, okay? Right now, you're not taking too much from them. A few more Cataclysms, and you would be," Plagg offered. "So now what do we do?"

"I... don't know." Adrien looked around him and saw nowhere for a young squatter to go - as himself, at least. "Are you okay to transform?"

"And then some. Between the snack and that energy transfer, I'm close to full," answered Plagg. "What do you have in mind?"

"Chat can go places Adrien can't. Maybe I can find somewhere to hang out, or at least get off the street, okay?"

"Yeah, that works," agreed Plagg.

"Claws out!"

* * *

Marinette stood at the railing of her balcony, a cup of tea in one hand, replaying her crazy day in her head.

 _Not every girl can say she's been two superheroes in one day! Or been nearly frozen solid by a block of butter pecan. Or had a tiny red spirit freak her parents out in her bedroom._

She smiled to herself, processing all of the new insanity in her life, sipping chamomile. _What am I going to do? I can only help Adrien - or Chat Noir - if he lets me. I felt like I was reaching him before that guy showed up, but he's really on the edge right now. I can see that, and I don't even know him all that well._

 _I really think that I'd like to,_ she mused. _Knowing about all this Miraculous stuff helps explain why he was acting so strangely!_ _And now I'm in the same boat. He might be the only other person I can relate to with this._

 _And if Adrien is Chat, then Gabriel Agreste is Papillon... and, wow, that's someone I don't want to get mad at me if I'm ever going to have any career in the fashion industry! He did seem sincere to me about wanting to help Adrien... but Adrien seemed really sincere that he didn't want to go home._

 _What in the world happened between them?_

Lost in her thoughts, Marinette ignored the strange sensation that she was being watched by someone.

* * *

Chat Noir wandered the city for a bit, looking for a rooftop where he wouldn't be interrupted or found. He settled on a balcony atop a tall building, not too far from his school's neighborhood. _Hardly luxury accommodations_ , he grinned, _but beggars can't be choosers and I got evicted from my warehouse hangout earlier._

He examined the floor panels, trying to figure out which one would be the least uncomfortable for him to try to sleep on. None of them looked exceedingly promising.

 _At least it's a nice view from here,_ he thought. _The_ _city skyline, the streetlights and shops, the park over there..._

He looked to his left and saw a familiar face some distance away, standing at the railing of her own balcony.

 _...and one of the prettiest sights Paris has to offer._

* * *

Marinette took one last sip of her tea, emptying her cup, and prepared to head back in for the night.

*TH-BMMP!*

A sudden thumping sound behind her made her jump and nearly drop her teacup over the side.

"Hello," said a gentle voice.

She spun around, shocked by both his presence and by recognition. "...Chat Noir?" she gasped.

"Sorry," he replied, sitting on the balcony railing. "I didn't mean to frighten you." He looked at her curiously. "You... know who I am?"

"You were on the news earlier," Marinette evaded. "The rescue on the hill with the sewer pipes, then Officer Roger was talking about you and the thief you caught." She looked at him, a little warily. "What are you doing here? Don't you have, like, superhero-y things to do?"

He sighed, quietly. "I'm not up for being a superhero tonight... and I don't feel like being alone tonight. Would you mind if I hung out here for a little while? I know that we don't know each other... but I could really use a friendly face, and someone to talk to."

Something in his eyes told Marinette that she could trust him... and, after all, this was Adrien underneath... so she smiled, very gently, and nodded at him.

* * *

 _This is hilarious_ , Marinette thought. _My big idea was to get Chat to come home with me... but then how would I explain how Marinette knew Ladybug? And now, here he is all on his own._

"So, Mister Kittycat... why me?" she asked. "Not that I mind the company."

"I can't really say," he replied, hesitantly. "The whole secret identity thing makes things complicated. I saw from over there that you were home, and that you were alone, and I hoped that a strange boy on your balcony wouldn't have you pulling out a baseball bat."

 _And you've been the one kindness in my life over the last few days,_ he added to himself. _And you have two of the most beautiful bluebell eyes in the world._

"Baseball bat, huh?" Marinette grinned. "You're sure you haven't been here before? That _is_ my go-to weapon for home invaders. Not that I get a lot of those; it'd take a very high ladder."

In Marinette's head, it clicked; _So THAT'S what that TH-WHUMP! was, and how Adrien got up on my balcony that night, and disappeared off of it! That little sneak! That's all the confirmation I need of who's under that mask._

"You're not a girl I'd try to mess with, bat or no bat," Chat purred, disarmingly. "One sweet smile from you and I'd be helpless."

Something in Marinette's chest started to flutter. She did her best to make it settle down and keep her cheeks their normal color.

"All right... Chat? You've got my full attention," she said, sitting down on one of her lounge chairs and motioning for him to do the same. "What's on your mind?"

* * *

Their conversation was a very delicate dance. Chat struggled to talk about the events of the last few days without revealing whom he was beneath the mask; Marinette struggled to hide that she was sure that she already knew. Despite that, though, they made a lot of progress in getting to know each other, and talked things out for the better part of the hour.

"So... I've seen you with a couple of other super-people on the news, like I said," Marinette noted. "All in the last few days. Do you all get your powers from the same place?"

"I'm not sure," Chat said. "The thing that makes this happen," gesturing to his costume, "is called a Miraculous. One of the people I met said she has one, and I'm sure that she does. The other one, Firefly... I think that a Miraculous gave her temporary powers, because that's what ITS power is, making heroes-for-a-day. Which is quite a shame if it was only temporary, because I'd _really_ like to see her again."

"You would?" Marinette blinked. "For real?" she added to herself, quietly.

"Oh, maybe I'm just... crushing, I guess," blushed Chat. "I only knew Firefly for a few minutes, y'know? I shouldn't make a big deal out of it... but I just can't get her out of my mind! She was very sweet to me, she dove right in to save those people out of instinct, she used up her powers to help others... and, YEAH, she was also the cutest thing I may have ever seen in my life."

He looked up at Marinette, and added, grinning, "I do have a definite thing for big blue eyes." For a fraction of a second, she swore that she saw a flash of recognition in his gaze... but he didn't say anything more about it.

"What about the other one? Ladybug, was it?" she pressed, dying to change the subject as she felt her own blush creeping up steadily. "What was she like?"

"Oh, that made the news, too? I'm surprised, I didn't see any cameras," Chat replied. "Ladybug was... I'm still kind of figuring her out. She seemed very... REAL. Very compassionate. So either she's an absolute sweetheart or a terrific actress. It was like she could see right through me and see just how much I needed help, and she was ready to do anything she could."

"How _do_ you need help, Chat?" Marinette asked. "I mean, are you all right? Do you have someplace to go?" she hinted.

"AM I all right? Um..." Chat hesitated. "Well..." _I can't tell you how wrong I really am, inside._

"Come on, you can say it," insisted Marinette. "I won't laugh and I won't bite."

"I'd be lying if I said I have someplace to go," he admitted. "I had a little hideout of sorts, but I got chased out of there today. And I still don't feel like I can go home, and I can't stay in costume forever."

He watched Marinette smile, and wondered why.

"Stay here for a second, okay?" she said, and ducked downstairs when he nodded.

* * *

A few moments later, Marinette reemerged with a bundle in her arms.

"What is that?" Chat asked, quite curious.

"That chair you're on right now? It folds down. And you're not moving from that spot tonight," Marinette ordered him. She tucked a pillow behind his head and threw a blanket over him, giggling a little at the look of shock on his face. "Luckily for you, it's not supposed to rain tonight."

"You're kidding, right?" Chat mumbled. "You _totally_ don't have to do this."

"I'm going to tell you what I told another friend of mine earlier today," she replied, her eyes twinkling. "I'm not going to let a friend suffer when I can be there to help him."

Marinette swore that she saw streams of little hearts shooting out of Chat's ears. _Heh, I thought only Rose could do that!_

"The rest of this," she said, pointing to the bundle, "are just some other things I grabbed. There's a pair of sweatpants and a sweatshirt; they're my size, not yours, of course, but they're baggy enough that you should fit into them okay. Underwear, you're on your own," she grinned. "There are a couple of bottles of water, some snacks I got out of the fridge... and if you need to use the bathroom, just knock on the hatch first, so that you don't scare the life out of me, okay? I really don't want either of us to get surprised in the shower."

"You have no idea how grateful I am, Marinette," Chat said, with more than a little awe. "Why are you doing all of this for me?"

"Because you needed it," she soothed. "Two conditions, okay?"

He nodded.

"One, if we do this more than just tonight, I'll let my parents know that you're here and let them decide if you can stay. Knowing them, they may give you the spare room, but that's their call, not mine... I just don't want them thinking that I'm running the Marinette Hotel up here for every stray boy in town. And two..."

"Uh-huh?"

"...this time, you wait long enough to say goodbye," Marinette smiled.

"I will. Thank you from the bottom of my heart, Marinette," Chat whispered.

"Good night, kittycat," she called back, as she exited through the hatch.

* * *

Adrien Agreste laid back on the lounge chair, head on a pillow, body under a fuzzy blanket, feeling completely, gloriously, and utterly unworthy.

Was Firefly still his number-one crush object? Sure, she was; he wasn't sure that he'd ever get that sweet face out of his mind. But that piece of his heart with _Reserved for Marinette_ stamped on it suddenly had a whole lot of company.

He closed his eyes and tried to sleep, knowing that he really needed to; he'd been running on fumes for a while now. He was almost there when a thought flashed through his mind, and every part of his body felt electrified.

 _What did she mean by "THIS TIME, you wait long enough to say goodbye?"_

* * *

Next time:

* "I don't want to hide anything from you... and, apparently, I can't."

* Renegotiating check-out time with the proprietors.

* Nathalie feels a bit... peckish.

* "There's more wrong with me than you know."

* "Maybe it's time I had a talk with him..."


	8. The Audience Responds

Let's Take It From The Top, Chapter 8: The Audience Responds

* * *

Marinette came down from wishing Adrien - er, _Chat Noir_ , she thought with a giggle - a good night's rest, closed the hatch to her balcony and plunked herself down into her desk chair. She knew she should get to sleep soon, as tomorrow's school day beckoned, but there was just no way she was going to wind down that quickly.

Tikki floated towards her, looking pleased. "That was a really nice gesture by you, Marinette! Chat Noir looked so happy to have your help."

"Well, how could I not?" Marinette reasoned. "As Chat Noir, he's supposed to be my partner from what you told me earlier, and I'd be frozen solid by now if he hadn't helped me against Andre. As Adrien, he's my friend! And as either one, he _needed_ the help more than he'd ever admit."

"You seem pretty sure that Chat Noir is Adrien..." Tikki began... then saw the look Marinette was giving her, and relented with a grin. "Okay, yeah. I don't think I can cover for him now, after what you've both been through. He kind of gave that away, didn't he?"

"Tikki, the only thing that made me wonder, before I knew for sure... he does _act_ differently as Chat. He's so quiet and polite as Adrien, but he puts the mask on and he's flirty, he's funny, he's a big cornball. But in a good way!" she hastened to add. "His Miraculous doesn't change his personality, does it?"

"No, and neither does yours, in case you were wondering at all," assured Tikki. "Maybe he feels like he has a role to play when he's in costume, or maybe it's just a confidence boost. Or he's just getting away from his real self for a while."

"I'll have to work on what my own real self is, any more... I've been two other selves today already!" Marinette's eyes lit up. "Speaking of which... did you hear how Adrien kept talking about Firefly, how _adorable_ he thought she was?"

"Uh-huh! He's got it bad! Though maybe not just for Firefly," suggested Tikki, stating the obvious.

"You mean for Ladybug, too? He didn't seem quite as into her, more suspicious," Marinette replied. "I mean, we got along well enough, and he did help me out of that freezing trap..."

Tikki grinned to herself. _She'll figure it out before long. She'd better! If she's oblivious to how he's starting to feel about her, she'll drive the poor boy crazy!_

"Is that a good thing, if he's crushing on Firefly? You can't be Firefly again, at least not without assistance..." she asked.

"I'm... not really sure," blushed Marinette. "Adrien is kind of complicated, you know? More so by the minute. But so am I, lately! And I don't think a boy has EVER looked at me, no matter _what_ outfit I had on, and thought 'Wow!' I need to figure out how I feel about that."

"I'd keep your costumed secrets... all of them... secret for now, if I were you," Tikki advised. "You two are just getting to know each other in all your combinations. See how that plays out before you decide what you want to reveal." _And I'd rather you didn't tell him that you're Ladybug at all, but we'll see if that's avoidable,_ she thought to herself.

"Speaking of secrets, Tikki," Marinette smiled. "If we're going to be this close going forward, I don't want secrets between _us._ Let's talk about ourselves and get to know each other better!"

"I'd like that very much," Tikki replied with a smile, as the pair settled in for a long conversation.

* * *

It took her a while, but Marinette finally managed to nod off for a few hours. She awoke to the sound of her alarm clock, and to the aroma of eggs frying downstairs. _Mmmm,_ she thought. _Breakfast sounds good about now. I wonder if I should go get a second plate and take it up to Adrien?_

She smiled to herself, _Maybe I should see if he actually stayed this time, first._

Marinette threw a robe on over her pajamas, tucked her bare feet into slippers, and opened her balcony hatch as quietly as she could.

* * *

The sunrise that morning was beautiful. As sunrises tend to be, it was also bright, and its intensifying light guided Adrien Agreste out of a deep sleep and into a slightly conscious state.

He thought he heard a sound nearby, but it only registered slightly in his mind. It'd been a few days since he'd slept soundly, and his body was intent on forcing his mind to cooperate and stay that way a while longer. _Maybe a bird landed on the railing or something,_ he thought, hazily.

He spent the next ten minutes like that, waking up very gradually. A shadow over him made him wonder. _Is that a cloud? It must be. But if the sun feels this warm and bright, how can it be covered up by clouds?_

Slowly, Adrien opened his eyes...

"Am I dreaming?" he asked.

"You probably were," smiled Marinette, who was kneeling beside him. "But you're not now."

* * *

The gravity of the situation pulled him fully awake, but he didn't jump up; after all, it wasn't anything that he hadn't worked out the night before.

"Hi," he sighed.

"Hi," Marinette replied. "Did you sleep well?"

"I did. Thank you again for that." He got a funny expression on his face, and added, "But you don't seem surprised that I'm not the same person you tucked in last night."

"I kind of figured that out," she giggled. "A mysterious boy on the run from his father, a mysterious catboy on the run from HIS father, they both came to me for help, and the boy appears and disappears from my balcony at will? I didn't need you to draw me a diagram."

"So I'm not very good at this secret identity stuff. I'll work on that," he grinned, lazily. "But I'm kind of glad. I don't want to hide anything from you, Marinette... and, apparently, I can't! You're okay with that? If you feel like my being here puts you in danger, I'll leave right away..."

"I'm not sure that there's a safer girl in Paris, silly," Marinette teased. "You ARE going to make sure I don't get turned into an ice cream sundae, right?"

"Absolutely," he replied. "Though I do want to treat you to one sometime, in gratitude." _And that's just for starters_ , he smiled.

"I think I can put that on my calendar," Marinette grinned. "Should we give Andre a chance to redeem himself, or try another place first?"

Adrien gave her a look. "How did you know that Chat was fighting Andre last night?"

"Um..." Marinette covered for herself quickly. "Somebody's cell phone video was on the news, I told you. And how many pudgy ice cream slingers are there in Paris? Everybody knows Andre."

"That's true," said Adrien, satisfied by that. He looked up at her again, losing himself in her eyes momentarily. "What am I going to do with you, Marinette?" he asked, softly. "You are so good to me... and I'm still not sure I deserve any of it. You amaze me."

"How about you start by letting me get you some breakfast?" she asked, glowing a little. "I'm pretty sure my mom's cooking downstairs, and I really should let them know you're here. I'll come back up, either with a plate or with orders to bring you downstairs. And it's up to you if you want to tell them about your feline side."

"I'll think about that," Adrien said. "And I, uh, thought I smelled eggs cooking but I didn't want to be presumptuous..."

"It's fine, I'm sure," Marinette said. "I'll talk with them. Bathroom's down the hatch and first door on the right, when you need it."

She padded away and climbed downstairs. If the look of adoration she got from Adrien had been solid, it would've knocked her down the ladder like a battering ram.

* * *

"Good morning, Marinette," Sabine called as her daughter entered the kitchen, dressed for school. "Ready for breakfast?"

"Very!" she replied. "In fact... um... I might just need two plates this morning."

Tom folded his newspaper down, his attention piqued. "Oh? Is our hotel open for business again?"

"It... is," Marinette admitted, sheepishly. "My mysterious visitor returned, and he slept on the balcony last night. I'd really like you to meet him and talk with him, if that's okay."

Sabine looked at Tom, then at Marinette. "I don't even have to ask the question, right?" she said to her daughter, with a serious face.

"MOM! You don't! THAT is not why he stayed! He's never even tried to kiss me," gasped Marinette. "Honest!"

"Oh, I believe you, honey," Sabine said. "I do know you better than that. Tom, do we have room for one more at the table?"

Her father didn't look entirely enthused, but he nodded his assent. "I'm not in the habit of turning away people in trouble," he said. "Have him come down, and we'll talk. Lure him down with promises of ham and eggs."

"Will do. Thank you, Dad," Marinette replied happily, hugging him. "I'll go make sure he's presentable."

As she flew back up the stairs, Tom grunted, "So... am I an idiot or just a pushover, honey?"

"You're a good man," Sabine said. "And a caring father. And we'll know a little more about Marinette's decision-making in a few minutes. He seemed like a nice young man when I met him in the bakery, but let's find out for sure."

* * *

Marinette reached her bedroom door, and heard Adrien in the bathroom. "Are you decent?" she called out.

"I am," Adrien replied. "Just freshening up. What did they say?"

"To lure you down with ham and eggs, so we can all talk about it," Marinette replied. "Are you tempted?"

"Like you wouldn't believe," he smiled, coming out while rubbing a towel over his hair. "Dinner last night was cheese puffs, though your snacks were tasty. Plagg really liked the cheese."

"What's a... Plagg?" she asked him.

Adrien closed his eyes, mentally kicking himself. "I told you that I really need to work on this secret identity stuff... I told you about what a Miraculous is, right? A Kwami is the spirit that gives it its powers, and Plagg is the Kwami for my Miraculous. Hey, can you come on out for a minute, buddy?"

In a corner of the room, hiding behind Marinette's dresser for the moment, Plagg looked at Tikki. "I guess that's my cue," he laughed.

"We'll talk more in a minute or two, once they go downstairs," Tikki whispered. "It's so good to see you again!"

* * *

Tom raised an eyebrow as Marinette returned to the kitchen, leading a blonde boy her own age down the steps, a little timidly. He was wearing one of her sweatsuits, apparently secure enough in his masculinity to be comfortable in a pink ensemble.

"You know, I did think that when my daughter brought her first overnight guest down from her room, she'd be older than fourteen," he growled... then laughed loudly at the looks on both their faces. "I'm completely kidding, you two! Come here, son, and have some breakfast."

Sabine laughed at the shade of green Adrien had turned at Tom's joking accusation; Marinette was scarlet and fuming. "How do you like your eggs, Adrien?" she asked.

"A-any way you're making them, I'm not fussy," he replied, meekly. "I'm so sorry to disturb your home like this."

"It's a little unusual, but I'm sure you have a good reason for it, right?" said Tom, much more soothingly. "Tell us a little about yourself, and please relax. You're among friends. We're not about to chase you out; we're just curious about what brought you here."

"Thank you, Mr... Dupain-Cheng?" Adrien replied.

"Mr. Dupain, Mrs. Cheng. Marinette gets to be both. Call me Tom," he smiled.

"Okay... Tom," smiled Adrien, visibly a little uncomfortable at not using 'Mr. Dupain.' "My name is Adrien Agreste. I'm the son of Gabriel Agreste, the fashion designer, and I'm new to Marinette's class in school this year..."

* * *

Adrien explained as much of his situation as he felt it was possible to explain. _Oh, I tried to use a magic cat and a magic moth to bring my mother back to life, and I blew up my father's assistant! THAT old story,_ he thought. _I'm sure they'd believe that one._

Instead, he described how he and his father had had a falling-out, and that things had been said and done that he felt couldn't be unsaid. _Which is mostly true._ He emphasized that there was nothing illegal or abusive going on... more like shame on his part, and he wasn't sure how he'd face his father again. His expressions of gratitude towards Marinette's kindness were sincere enough to have her blushing again and Sabine smiling broadly.

"I'm sure that your father is worried sick over your being missing. How are you addressing that?" asked Tom.

"I'm... going to get back in contact with him soon, one way or another. Probably over the phone first. I don't want him to worry like that, and from what Marinette has told me, he has been looking for me," replied Adrien. "He's... a good man, and I'm not just saying that because he's my father. I really shouldn't hurt him like this. But..."

"...But?" asked Sabine.

"It's... complicated," said Adrien. "There are some personal things going on that I can't talk about right now, I'm sorry."

Tom and Sabine exchanged a few meaningful glances.

"Breakfast is delicious," added Adrien, hoping to deflect the subject. "Thank you very much for that."

"My pleasure," Sabine grinned. "Are you going back to school with Marinette?"

The teens looked at each other. "I'd... like to?" Adrien stammered. "But I don't know if I'm ready, or if my father will have my bodyguard waiting at the classroom door to collect me. I've never been a big fan of diving out a window. I know I can't stay away from school forever; I fought pretty hard to get INTO public school in the first place. I'd LIKE to be there." He turned and looked at Marinette, with longing eyes. "It's where I've met some incredibly special people."

"We hadn't really talked about that yet," added Marinette, trying not to be overwhelmed. _Adrien, you are going to make me melt if you keep this up!_ "I do need to leave for school in a few minutes, myself... It's up to you, Adrien."

"Before you do, Marinette... can you step into the next room for a minute, Adrien?" asked Tom; he looked at Sabine, who nodded. "We just need to talk this over for a minute."

"Certainly," Adrien said. He smiled at Marinette, a little nervously, and walked far enough away not to eavesdrop.

* * *

Master Fu sat in a lotus position, meditating on the events of the week.

 _So, my solution to two Miraculouses being loose, and potentially misused, is to put a third one out there. The most powerful of them all. Am I losing it in my old age?_

 _Hardly,_ he assured himself. _That girl radiates goodness so strongly that it's a wonder she doesn't glow like a star. She has amazing potential to be Ladybug, and with guidance she could be such a force for good in this world! And Tikki will see to that._

 _And who besides the Ladybug is capable of belling the Cat?_

 _I wish that I could speak with Plagg and get his impressions of the young man he's guiding,_ he mused. _Grainy video on the news isn't_ _the best way to judge one's character... but so far, he seems to be behaving. Perhaps the girl will be a positive influence on him as well... perhaps more than that!... though teenage emotions are always volatile. I will keep an eye on her from afar and see how things progress._

 _It is far more concerning that someone out there was collecting Miraculouses!_ Master Fu reasoned. _Troubling enough that someone besides myself knows what they are, but to have recovered two and to grasp much of their potential? I wonder... There is far more to that than meets the eye. At least the Moth seems to be acting benevolently. as well... for now._

 _But the streets of Paris will not long withstand three-way conflicts like the one on the news last night. Will one side persuade another to form an alliance? And, if so, which? And for how long?_

He stilled his troubled thoughts for now, returning to a state of harmony. _If age and experience have taught me anything_ , he told himself, _it is patience. I have played my hand. I must be willing to wait, and watch, and see if it is a winning one._

 _I only got it wrong once; it will never happen again. At least I hope not._

* * *

Marinette sat down at the kitchen table, visibly anxious, watching her mother walk over to her father's side. "I... know this is a crazy situation, Mom, Dad. I'm sorry about this..."

"Don't be," said Tom. "Am I thrilled about this? No, I'm not. But I can see why you're fond of Adrien. He's not telling us everything... but he's being honest about what he is telling us. I can tell that much about him."

"He seems charming, in his own way. Troubled, obviously, and that's a shame," agreed Sabine. "But I like him."

"Can I ask you something, Marinette? I'm just putting a few things together in my head," Tom asked. "My daughter makes a new friend, who appears and disappears on my roof and no one knows how. Then a mysterious package shows up, and my Marinette gets powers from a magic red pixie... and I'm STILL wrapping my head around that..."

Marinette shuffled her feet, dreading the end of his thought process.

"And the other superhero I saw on TV last night is blonde and about her age, just as a certain blonde boy turns up on my roof again in the middle of the night. Very mysterious," her father smiled. "You wouldn't know anything about that, would you, honey?"

Marinette closed her eyes and lowered her head, momentarily. When she looked up, she replied, "I don't ever want to lie to you, Dad. But it's not my secret to tell. Whatever it is, it's his."

"I see!" he said, looking more amused than angry. "Well... if he wants us to know, he'll tell us, I suppose. Sabine?"

"Well... I'm looking at it this way. Some things in life are going to happen one way or another. You can keep them close by and provide some guidance, or send them away and just hope that they turn out right." Sabine looked quite thoughtful. "I know which one I'd rather pick."

"And what do you think, Marinette?" asked Tom. "What should we do about this?"

"I think you should do what you think is right," Marinette answered, carefully. "That's what you always taught me to do. And last night, I think I did, and I hope you agree."

"Adrien?" Tom called out, suddenly. "Can you come back in here, please? Before Marinette goes to school, I'd like to ask you something."

* * *

Across town, Nathalie walked into the dining room of the Agreste mansion, where Gabriel sat picking idly at a breakfast platter. "Still no word from him?" she asked.

"None." Gabriel looked up with red eyes, at least partly from lack of sleep. "It's maddening, is what it is."

"If he would just come home, or at least CALL, I could tell him that he's forgiven for what happened! I know he didn't mean it!" Nathalie offered. "He... is forgiven, right? At least by me, he is."

"Of course he is!" insisted Gabriel. "He's my son. Though he and I do need to talk, long and hard, about what happened... especially after what I saw last night."

"What was that?" Nathalie asked, her interest suddenly high.

"The Ladybug Miraculous is in Paris," he said, evenly. "It's ironic, isn't it? I held one half of the puzzle for years, I searched the world over, and the other half eluded me. My son misuses the Cat and runs off with it... and within the week, there's the Ladybug, ten feet away from him."

"Wait... you're serious?" she exclaimed. "The Ladybug and the Cat are _both_ here? Then that means-"

"I know precisely what it means. And I refuse to accept what it means." Gabriel looked up at her, helplessly. "I could lose myself pursuing them _so easily_... and my son would likely pay the price. There's no way that I can even _think_ of risking that. But if I _don't-!"_

"You don't think you can possibly sway the two of them to your side?" asked Nathalie. "Especially Adrien, if he learns what you could do with those?"

"I need to get him home, first. All else is secondary," sighed Gabriel.

"Are... you going to eat that?" added Nathalie, with a curious expression. "I'm STARVING again."

"Be my guest," Gabriel offered, standing up. "My chefs will gladly cook you your own breakfast, of course, rather than my leavings."

"They did," Nathalie said, diving into some eggs as Gabriel left. "Twice."

* * *

Adrien stepped back into the Dupain-Cheng kitchen, maintaining a nervous smile. "I'm here. What else would you like to know?" he asked Marinette's father.

"A couple of little things," Tom said, keeping a straight face. "IF... you were to stay here for a little while... you'd understand that it's not permanent, and you'll be expected to try to reconcile with your father?"

Marinette suppressed a happy gasp. Adrien smiled, solemnly, and replied, "I understand. It would be a remarkably generous offer..."

"And that while you're here, it would not be a free ride? If you're not in school, and I hope that you will be again soon, you'd be helping Sabine and I around the house, doing whatever chores we give you, perhaps helping me out and learning a few things down in the bakery?"

Adrien laughed, "My cooking is legendarily bad, but I'm willing to learn anything. And, yes, I'll pull my weight."

"And that if I did find out that there's something serious going on with you that you're not telling me... something like drugs or crime that could put my daughter at risk... you'd be out on your ear in a heartbeat?" Tom glared, raising up to his full height and considerable bulk.

"There is nothing like that to be found. I promise you that," Adrien said, unhesitatingly. _Except for the magic in my right hand that could end up killing people..._ his conscience nagged at him, and he tried not to let his face betray his inner conflict.

"In that case..." Tom replied, "Marinette, you'd better hurry to school or you'll be late. Hurry home right after; we'll want your help setting up the spare room for our guest."

Marinette ran to her parents, hugging each tightly. "THANK YOU so much," she told them, then turned to Adrien... considered hugging him as well... leaned in... leaned back... watched him lean in... lean back... and they both started laughing.

"I'll see you in a few hours, okay?" Marinette told Adrien, squeezing his hand gently... then headed for the door quickly with an eye on the time.

"I do have one other question," Tom grinned in Adrien's direction, seemingly as an afterthought. "How DID you get up and down from Marinette's balcony that night, anyway?"

Marinette stopped in her tracks with a little squeak. If she'd been facing her father at the time, he'd have seen her eyes bug out like a stepped-on frog's.

* * *

Adrien winced, but he didn't skip a beat. "I would say 'magic', but I really doubt that you'd believe that," he stated.

"Probably not," Sabine said. "Though we've seen a lot of strange things around here lately." She looked at Marinette, who'd turned back her way and was silently mouthing _Please don't_ at her.

 _Does he know..._ Sabine whispered to her, pointing quickly at Adrien, then making a subtle motion with her hand imitating a fluttering Tikki.

 _Not yet!_ whispered Marinette, frantically.

"I have... something going on in my life right now that's pretty much impossible for me to explain," Adrien said. "It's not drugs, it's not criminal, it's not abuse, it's not anything that would endanger anyone in this house, or I wouldn't be here now. I've told Marinette that if she's ever uncomfortable with it, I'm gone that instant with no regrets. And if my not telling you means that I have to leave, I'll understand."

Marinette held her breath.

"Hmmm," Tom mused. "If I had my own... secret life, and I'd made a sincere promise that I'd keep that secret at all costs... that's just the kind of thing that I would say." He broke out in a smile. "Go on, Marinette, before they start looking for you," he laughed.

With a relieved look at Adrien, she did just that, running to beat the opening bell.

* * *

As class was about to start, the students talked among themselves, with two vacancies across from each other in the front row.

"Still nothing from Adrien, huh?" Alya asked Nino, casually. "That's starting to get weird."

"I know, right?" he replied. "I thought we were getting to be buds, but I haven't heard from him in days. I hope he's all right."

"He has to be!" sobbed Chloe, with full dramatics. "I finally get to spend school time with my Adriekins and now he's DISAPPEARED!"

Sabrina did her best to console what passed for her best friend, while the rest of the room treated Chloe's outburst as pure noise and routed around it.

Abruptly, a dark-haired pink blur skidded into the room, taking her seat next to Alya while catching her breath. "Look what the cat dragged in," smirked Alya.

"Cat? What cat? Where did you hear about - oh! Hi, Alya," Marinette stuttered. "Did I make it?"

"Barely, but yes," she smiled. "You look... all charged up today. What's got you so wound up?"

"You wouldn't believe me if I told you," said Marinette, quietly. "Not in a million years."

"Which means, of course, that you HAVE TO," Alya replied. "Spill!"

Marinette just grinned back, silently. "I would if I could," she whispered, as class began. "Later."

* * *

As the day progressed, Marinette was dying with curiosity as to how things were going at her house. Adrien had a good sense of timing, and provided an update as she walked between her third and fourth classes:

 **[Adrien] What do you know? I'm NOT hopeless in a kitchen after all.**

 **[Adrien] Making a little something for you today.**

 **[Marinette] Dad's keeping you busy, huh?**

 **[Adrien] It's pretty interesting, really. Didn't know baking could be this complicated.**

 **[Marinette] I can't BELIEVE they're letting you stay for a while! I mean, I'd hoped...**

 **[Adrien] Me neither! I owe all of you so much for this. I am so grateful...**

 **[Adrien] I just hope I don't end up ruining it.**

 **[Marinette] How could that happen? I know you'll be on your best behavior.**

 **[Adrien] ...**

 **[Adrien] There's more wrong with me than you know.**

A chill ran down Marinette's spine.

 **[Marinette] WHAT?**

 **[Marinette] oh you are NOT dropping that on me right as Physics is starting**

 **[Marinette] Are you sick, or something? Please say no.**

 **[Adrien] Not... exactly. Look... let's talk tonight, the two of us, okay? I promise.**

 **[Adrien] You deserve the whole truth from me.**

 **[Marinette] You better believe we'll talk.**

As class began, Marinette put her phone away lest it be confiscated by her teacher. Her imagination, however, was running on overdrive and not at all in productive or happy directions.

* * *

At a sidewalk cafe, not far from the Agreste mansion, an impatient Nathalie Sancoeur sat at a table.

 _What is with me today? Do I have a tapeworm, or something?_ she wondered. _It's like I have a hunger that food just isn't satisfying. I just can't stop eating!_

She drummed her fingers on the table, waiting for her order to arrive. _It's a nice day to be out, at least,_ she mused. _The sun feels good, there's a nice breeze... I just wish that I could relax. Or that Gabriel could. That news about the Ladybug really threw him for a loop, and I can't blame him!_

One of the waiters was nearby, attending to another table, and Nathalie decided to ask him if there was any sign of her salad yet. "Pardon me, sir?" she asked, reaching out to tap him on the arm. "Could I ask you to-"

*SNAP!*

As she made contact, dark energy crackled abruptly around her hand... and the waiter dropped like a stone to the ground.

Nathalie gasped in horror, and the other customers reacted with shock and alarm. "JEAN-PAUL! What happened?" asked a waitress, rushing to his side. "Did you see what happened to him?" she asked Nathalie, frantically.

"No! One second he was standing there, the next, he just... passed out! Is he okay?" panicked Nathalie.

A shout of "Call an ambulance!" got people moving. One customer stared at Nathalie, intently. "I saw that! You touched him, and he fell! What did you do to him, lady?" she accused her.

"I didn't do anything! I swear!" she stammered, backing away from the fallen waiter. "IS HE OKAY?" she begged the waitress tending to him.

"He's breathing, he has a pulse, that's good... but I don't know, other than that," the waitress whimpered. "DID SOMEONE CALL THE AMBULANCE?" she shouted.

As subtly as she could, Nathalie snuck out of the outdoor seating area and made her escape. She watched from a safe distance as the ambulance arrived and paramedics loaded the waiter on board. _They're not in a big hurry; that's a good sign,_ she thought. _If they thought he was dying, they'd be flying out of here._ _What in the hell did I DO to that poor boy?_

A memory came to mind. _Did I... somehow?... do to him what Adrien did to me?_

One other thought drifted across her mind, and it was not a pleasant one, either:

 _I'm not hungry any more._

* * *

Next time:

* Nathalie considers whether to confide in Gabriel.

* Settling into the spare room, which is... well... nearby.

* Dinner for four.

* A long talk, and a productive one.

* "Papillon? ...It's me."


	9. The Mood Starts to Swing

Let's Take It From The Top, Chapter 9: The Mood Starts To Swing

* * *

As the end-of-day school bell approached, Marinette gathered her belongings and watched the clock intently, ready to head for home at a sprinter's pace.

 _Be cool, Marinette, be cool,_ she told herself. _Nothing to be excited about there, after all... just a certain unexpected houseguest!_

A few of her friends noticed her anticipatory state. Juleka leaned over and asked, "Got a hot date this afternoon, Marinette?"

"N-no! What would make you say that?" Marinette replied, a little too defensively. All around her, _Something's going on!_ pinged loudly on several nearby Girl Radar dishes.

Alya was eager to test her new friend's resistance to gossip acquisition. "Yeah... about that, Marinette! You ran in here almost late today, and now you're ready to fly home. What have you got there that you can't bear to be away from?"

 _"Puh-lease,"_ said Marinette in a semi-mocking tone. "Ask any of them," pointing to her semicircle of friends looking on, "they know I have about as much romance in my life as a mailbox."

"I don't remember saying it was a ROMANCE, do you?" smiled Alya. "But since you brought it up..." A couple of other friends poked their heads in, their attention also diverted inwards. "There was a certain _someone_ who seemed interested in you the other day, wasn't there?" asked Alya, her eyes dancing.

"Wouldn't he have to be here for me to respond to that? Marinette asked, "Even if I'd planned to?"

"She has a point there," Rose allowed. "Adrien's still missing, isn't he?"

"It wasn't my turn to keep track of him, but yeah, I think so," offered Alix.

"It's nothing all that exciting," Marinette assured them. "Mom and Dad just wanted me home to help them with something around the house. A... new addition in the bakery." She grinned to herself at the concealed truth slipped into that.

"Fair enough," smiled Juleka. "But if you did have someone new in your life, you'd be sure and tell us, ri-"

The bell rang, and Marinette grabbed her bag and was off like a speeding bullet.

"...right?" Juleka finished, to a chorus of giggly laughter. "Is it just me, or..."

"No, something's up with her," Mylene agreed. "She'll tell us when she's ready."

"Or when we catch her at it," smirked Alya. She added "...What?" when she saw a few raised eyebrows around her from her statement.

* * *

Marinette flew through the front door of the bakery, greeting her mother as she entered. Sabine nudged her head towards the back kitchen with a smile, knowingly.

As Marinette entered, her father waved and called out, "Hi, Marinette!" Behind him, she saw a crouching figure gathering an armload of things from a low cabinet. He stood up a bit too quickly, turning to greet her; he juggled the items he was carrying, and an open bag of flour among them went WHUMPH!, puffing a white cloud all around him.

She watched Adrien emerge from it, white as a sheet, with a _Did that just happen?_ look of disbelief on his face; she couldn't help but erupt in giggles. "You were right, Dad, he's a natural at this," she laughed.

Adrien raised an eyebrow, about to protest, but had to laugh as well. "It's not the first time today I've managed to coat myself," he admitted, wiping his face. "But I did manage to be productive, I hope."

"Oh, it was very nice having you here today, Adrien! You were definitely a big help," Tom said. "The extra hands meant that Sabine could concentrate on other things." He turned to Marinette and added, "Adrien and I had a chance to talk and get to know each other better today. He's a very promising young man."

"Mmm-hmm," agreed Marinette, happy but a little bit off-balance from her father's statement. _Not sure how else he means for me to react to that..._

"Show her what I had you working on," suggested Tom. Adrien turned and fetched a tray of sugar cookies, in a variety of shapes and sizes. "No cookie cutter molds, I had him cut those freehand," her father smiled.

"Not bad at all for a first-timer!" Marinette admired, getting a wide smile from her friend. "Very nicely done."

"I was thinking you two could work together on icing them, Marinette; you're so good with designs, and we could put them out with the morning display," hinted Tom. "Would that be all right?"

"Sure!" she replied, brightly. "I'll just run my things upstairs, then come back down and help."

A short while later, Sabine wandered back to see how things were going. She joined her husband as he kept a casual eye on the teenagers, who were huddled together over a table and taking turns putting icing layers onto Adrien's cookie creations. Marinette looked like she was having a blast showing him the finer points of decorating; Adrien looked thrilled just to be there with her.

"You big softie," she grinned, quietly enough for them to not overhear.

"Moi?" he parried, with a slow smile. "I have no idea what you mean, my dear."

* * *

As dinner approached, Marinette and Adrien went upstairs to freshen up and get ready. "I have to see what they did with your room!" remarked Marinette.

"Well, I haven't done much with it myself. I didn't exactly bring much with me," said Adrien. "I might run across town as Chat soon, so I can pick up a couple of changes of clothes. If I use my credit card way across town, Dad won't know to look for me here." He smiled, adding, "Not that I don't look good in pink, but eventually you'll want this outfit back."

"Or you can keep it as a souvenir," she teased. They entered the spare room, which Sabine had tidied up and arranged that morning; there was a twin bed made up with a couple of pillows, an emptied dresser, and some other small, decorative touches to make it more appealing. It was simple, but comfortable-looking.

"I can work on this for you, if you want, Adrien," Marinette offered. "I'll bring over some books to read, maybe, or I've got a little radio... If you want to watch TV, there's one downstairs or one in my room..."

"Oh, this is just fine, Marinette, but thank you," he smiled. "It's not like I'll be here for months. This'll be perfect for a short stay, while I figure things out."

"Okay... but if you want some more decorations, I'm quite the aspiring artist," giggled Marinette.

They smiled, then went quiet for a moment. Marinette paused before asking, "Adrien?"

"Yeah?"

"Are you ready to talk about what you hinted at earlier?" she asked, with sincere concern on her face. "It's been bugging me ever since."

"Marinette! Adrien! Dinner's ready!" Sabine called from downstairs.

"Maybe later?" Adrien replied. "I don't want to rush through it. After dinner, get me when you're ready and we'll go somewhere where we can talk."

"Up on the balcony, maybe?" she suggested. "It's a nice night, and I seem to do a lot of talking with boys up there lately."

* * *

The teens came down quickly and took their seats at the dinner table, on adjacent sides of it. Sabine brought a large roast chicken over to the table, which made Adrien's eyes light up. "That looks wonderful, Mrs. Cheng," he told her.

"Sabine, please!" she replied, with a little laugh. "Mrs. Cheng was my mother."

"Sabine," said Adrien. "I can do that, sure. Force of habit, sorry! I was raised to use titles, but also to say what people want to be called."

"What do you usually eat at home, by the way?" she asked him. "If you've got favorites that I can make, I'll work them into the rotation here."

"I'll try just about anything once. Dad's kitchen staff is amazing, but his right-hand woman, Nathalie..." Marinette saw his face fall a little at the mention of Nathalie's name, and made a mental note to ask about that. "...She's under orders to keep my diet pretty straightforward. A lot of grilled chicken, a lot of health food, watching portions pretty closely. So, honestly, you don't have to do anything special for me, but thank you very much for asking!"

He grinned and added, "Believe me, I do like to eat. Between all the things my dad has me doing for his company, the fencing lessons, the karate lessons... I'm still a growing boy, I need some calories."

"How different is public school life from how you were doing it before?" Tom asked him. "I'd imagine that it's quite a change."

"It is," he answered, "but mostly in good ways. I was being homeschooled by tutors, mostly, and that meant I didn't get to meet people my own age much. Or if I did, they were often people like Chloè Bourgeois, who is..." He continued over the tiny retching noise coming from his left, but shot Marinette a little smile. "...hardly normal."

Adrien thought about what he'd just said, and added quickly, "But I also don't want to sound like I'm on safari or something, 'vacationing amongst the common people.' That's the kind of thing Chloè would say, because she's always been spoiled, you know? She thinks she's better because of who she is. I know that who my family is doesn't make me better; I'm just a little different. Lucky, more like. Being sheltered by fame or money is no way to learn to be a better person."

"A good way to look at it," Tom said, spooning some vegetables. "Do you get recognized around town much? I know I've seen your picture on posters. You're a full-fledged model for the label, then?"

"I am," confirmed Adrien. "Only because it's for family, because my father asks me to. I don't mind doing it to help him for now, but it's not what I want to do with my life, and while I don't mind being recognized I'd never want to be a big celebrity. I've seen some of what that can lead to."

"I'd seen his picture a thousand times in the fashion magazines," added Marinette, "but I didn't really make the connection when he walked into class until Ms. Bustier introduced him to us." She looked over at Adrien and said, "I... misjudged you at first, because of the thing with the gum, and because I was afraid you'd be stuck-up and conceited like Chloè... but you're so much more down-to-earth than I would've ever imagined. And, yes, that's a really good thing."

Sabine smiled, watching even light praise from Marinette redden Adrien's cheeks. _I wonder if Marinette realizes just how much Adrien's wrapped around her little finger?_ she thought. _If she doesn't, I bet being under one roof like this will speed that up..._

* * *

Nathalie Sancoeur sat at her computer, typing frantically, looking for any news of... _someone has to have it... ah! There!_

She read a news story from a local station about strange events at a downtown cafe, a mysterious injury, and... "The waiter is recovering and responsive, apparently suffering no major injuries, at a nearby hospital. It is unknown what caused his abrupt collapse..."

 _Thank goodness,_ she thought. _Whatever that strange energy was, I thought I'd killed that poor boy. It sounds like he's mostly all right, like I was..._

Her relief was only momentary, tempered by some uncomfortable knowledge. _Not only did that energy come from me..._ _and I don't know how or why it did... but it fed that weird hunger that I'd felt. It's the only thing that has!_

She stared at her bare hands, which certainly didn't look like lethal energy weapons to her. _What am I becoming?_ she quailed.

 _Do I dare tell Gabriel about this? He's under too much strain already, with Adrien missing. But could he find out something from his research about this, and maybe find a way to fix it? I don't know that there's any way that I can't, once I figure out how to describe it without sounding like a crazy person or a threat to everyone around me._

Her body still felt like a stranger to her. In the aftermath of the energy shock, she'd felt extremely cranked up; she didn't know if that was from fear, from adrenaline, from shock, from some combination of the three... or if it was something else along with those. _Did I... absorb energy from that boy?_ she wondered. Is _that what fed the hunger? I had some kind of imbalance, somehow, and the shock rebalanced it?_

She was coming down slowly from that rush... feeling less like a live wire and more like Nathalie, a little at a time. She took slow, deep breaths, trying to return to her normal heartrate. It seemed to be working. There was just one nagging thought that kept her nerves on edge...

 _Is it going to happen to me again?_

* * *

After the meal and conversation, Adrien declared, "The dishes are mine."

"Ours," corrected Marinette. "I'll help you." The two collected the plates and silverware and headed for the sink together.

Back at the table, Tom and Sabine compared notes. "So?" Sabine asked. "Thumbs up, thumbs down?"

"What I've seen of him so far, I've really liked," Tom replied. "I'm still a little twitchy over him _living_ here... but you can understand my reasons why."

"Whatever's going on with his father needs resolving, I agree," said Sabine. "I think he'll be a very welcome visitor once that happens, though. Assuming that they ever let him out of his house again."

"Yeah, that's hard to tell. Would I be thankful if someone kept Marinette warm and dry, if she ever ran off like that? Or angry that they didn't call me immediately? Probably some of each," pondered Tom. "I don't know how his father will react once he finds out about all this."

"I hope he's reasonable about it. They're made for each other, Tom, just _look_ at them." They peeked in on Marinette and Adrien in the kitchen, giggling and splashing a little water at each other as they cleaned. "He's so polite, he's handsome, he's a sweet boy, and he's absolutely _fascinated_ by her. And she's well on her way to matching that, I think. Plus, there's the... other thing."

Tom put his hands over his face, imitating a domino mask, and Sabine nodded. "Do you think they both know?" he asked.

"Shhh," Sabine cautioned, in a whisper. "Not too loud with that. Marinette knows his, but from how she reacted earlier, she hasn't told him yet about either one of hers. I think that only you and I know about Ladybug."

Tom shook his head. "That's all way out of my league, trying to figure that out. I'll let them handle it, and if she wants advice I'll let her ask for it." He grinned, adding, "And I'm not crazy for letting him and Marinette sleep in adjacent rooms, am I?"

"Oh, I don't think so," Sabine pooh-poohed. "I think they'd both pass out from shock after their first kiss. Not that we can't still play chaperone once in a while to make sure they behave..."

* * *

Marinette's parents weren't the only ones bringing each other up to speed at that moment.

"Hmmph," Tikki murmured. "This thing with Adrien's powers is VERY serious! Master Fu will definitely need to know about this. If Kwamis showed up on cell phones, I'd call him right now! I'll have to find an excuse for Marinette to go over there without giving away who he really is."

"It's pretty bad, yeah," said Plagg. "So far, it's not BAD bad... but we're not far away from that. And he's too much of a good kid to NOT want to use his powers for the right reasons, so it's going to keep getting worse until Master Fu can fix us. If he can."

"He'd figured out most of it already," replied Tikki. "Wayzz sensed how it started, with his hypersensitivity to that kind of thing, and when things blew up even Master Fu felt the disturbance. The good thing is that we know exactly who and where all three Miraculous users are right now, so we don't have to chase them down."

"Will Fu put out a fourth one?" wondered Plagg. "Maybe one from the Zodiac tier?"

"I doubt it," Tikki said. "Would it really help? Not unless the Moth unleashes something weird enough that we'd need backup. And I've got to keep an eye out for the Moth's butterflies, anyway..."

"Hah, yeah!" Plagg laughed. "If Marinette were to become Firefly again, Adrien's head would explode."

"AND Gabriel would probably know right away that Marinette was also Ladybug," Tikki noted. "Which I don't think we want to happen."

"Agreed. Adrien's suspicious of his father, just like I am," said Plagg. "Nobody collects Miraculouses and researches them by accident. That's a big reason why he hasn't gone home yet."

"You haven't heard anything about the poor woman there that interrupted the invocation?" asked Tikki. "Whether she's all right?"

Plagg looked very glum. "Not yet," he answered. "But from how my powers feel, and from how this played out the last time... we might not have to wait long to find out."

Footsteps on the stairs interrupted their conversation, and the Kwamis dove for temporary cover.

* * *

Marinette led Adrien up into her room, up the ladder and to her balcony, where they could talk privately for a while. They got comfortable on the lounge chairs, both a little uneasy about what might follow.

"All right, Adrien... I know there's more to the story. Can you tell me what it is? I'd really like to know, before I..." Marinette trailed off.

"Before what?" asked Adrien, gently.

"Before. We'll see if we get that far," she squirmed. "But, seriously? You made it sound like there's something huge you haven't told me yet."

"And I haven't... but I will." He looked into Marinette's eyes and thought, _Those could make me tell you anything._ "Okay, I've told you about what a Miraculous is. Each one has a hidden power..."

Marinette sat anxiously, paying rapt attention to the first part of Adrien's story: how he'd found the Cat and Moth, the book, the notes on the combined power, the accident. "Is Nathalie all right?" she asked him.

He hung his head, ashamed. "I think so... but I don't know for sure. I need to find that out, because that's part of what's tearing me up inside."

"Were you close with her?" Marinette wondered.

"Yes and no?" evaded Adrien. "She kept a professional distance, but she was around me all the time, so she knew me very well. And I don't want to hurt ANYBODY, close or not, but I did. And it gets worse."

He held up his right hand, which looked normal to her at first glance. "When Cataclysm happens, it's with this hand and a black energy around it. It's STUCK ON, thanks to my screwup! Right now it's behaving itself, so I won't zap or dissolve whatever I touch... but the more I use the power, the... hungrier it'll get, I guess you could say. And I used it earlier today."

"What would it do now, if you touched someone?" shivered Marinette.

"It only seems to drain people when it's low on energy... so most of the time, it's fine. For now. The last time I used it and it went off, it was to break up a fight. It turned a big guy from a raving brute to barely standing up. And that was before I used Cataclysm today to get out of that trap and help Ladybug... it might be worse next time."

Now Marinette hung HER head. "If she'd known that, she'd have gotten _herself_ out of that trap, I'm sure," she mumbled.

"She'd have had no way of knowing any of that. You're closer to me than anyone I know now, Marinette, and even you didn't know until I just told you," Adrien replied, surprised at her seemingly guilty reaction. "But that's... that's a big reason why I haven't gone home. I'm scared that I'll touch one of them by accident and do something terrible, like I've already done once."

He walked over and knelt by where Marinette was sitting. "But I also can't stay here long... because I'm terrified that I'll hurt YOU, or your parents. And if I ever hurt you, or worse, that would break me in two."

He could see her thinking hard. "It's kind of like... a diabetic's blood sugar, then? The closer to a normal range it is, the less energy it needs to be fixed, but if you let it dip way low or it overcharges and it's way up high, it's a big problem?" she asked.

"Not a bad analogy, I think."

Marinette put her hands on his shoulders. "Then when you're feeling just a twinge, _before_ it gets bad enough to be dangerous... touch me."

* * *

"Are you out of your _mind?"_ Adrien boggled, incredulously. "I'm not going to drain _you!"_

"Who else, then?" Marinette snapped back. "Someone random at the bus stop? If I know what's going to happen, I won't be afraid of it. And if you're doing it the smart way, draining just a little at a time, I'm a big girl, I should be fine."

"You don't know that!" he nearly shouted. "I don't know how to judge how much it'll drain, or what doing it _once_ would do to you, let alone relying on you as my backup battery pack!"

He lowered his voice, not wanting to turn it into an argument. "Marinette... there's no way that I can hurt you, even a little bit, and not hate myself for it."

"I'll hate myself if I can help you, and I don't _make you_ let me help," she retorted, crossing her arms. "You need someone you can count on. I can be that."

"That's the most generous, most selfless offer I've ever heard in my life," Adrien said, quietly. "And I _can't_ take you up on it. But if at some point I absolutely _have to..._ I still won't, but we'll talk first, at least."

He laughed, briefly, at the helplessness he felt. Both the situation and the girl in front of him were taking away any control he had over himself. "Marinette, I... I want to hug you more than anything in the world right now," he added, "and I'm scared to touch you. And it's not just because of my Cataclysm problem."

She stood still for a moment, letting that sink in. _He's saying... that he..._

Without a word, Marinette leaned over and wrapped her arms around him, holding him tight. "Then let me handle that part," she whispered.

Marinette laid her head on Adrien's shoulder, and felt his left arm press against her back... and, slowly, _extremely_ hesitantly, his right.

Nothing unusual happened. If there was any electricity flowing between them, it was the kind that any two people slowly finding each other would experience.

For the time being, at least... their shared world made a little sense.

* * *

They came back down not long after, and spent some time talking about happier things in Marinette's room. After a while, she looked at the clock and didn't like what she saw. "I hate to say it, but at least ONE of us has school tomorrow..." she complained.

"And I'm sure I'll have lots more to do in the kitchen," smiled Adrien. "I promise that I'll try to get back to what passes for normal soon. Back to school, back... home. I do need to do both."

"I know. I won't nag you about it, unless I have to," Marinette replied. "And I'll ask one favor in return, tonight. Wait here for a minute?"

He nodded, and she headed to the bathroom with a change of clothes under her arm. When she came back, she was decked out in modest pajamas, her typical nighttime wear.

Adrien raised a questioning eyebrow. Marinette climbed into bed, pulled the sheets up, and giggled, "Well, I tucked you in last night. Will you tuck _me_ in tonight, Adrien?"

"I'd be honored," he smiled. He walked over, made sure that her pillow was properly fluffed and her sheets were snugly around her, then flicked off the light and returned to her side.

"Hey," she whispered up to him. "Thank you for telling me all that you did tonight. That couldn't have been easy to talk about, and it touches me that you trust me that much."

"I said it the wrong way around earlier, Marinette. I can't hide anything from you... because I don't want to."

Even in the dim light from her nearby clock, Marinette's soft smile was obvious.

Every nerve in Adrien's body screamed at him to do what seemed completely natural...

 _...But I don't know how she'd react. And I don't know that I can make myself stop right now, if I dare start and she kisses me back._

He took her hand in his, instead, and whispered, "Sweet dreams, Marinette. See you in the morning?"

"Or in our dreams tonight," she winked back. "You never know..."

Through intense willpower, Adrien stood up and tiptoed slowly out of Marinette's room, closing the door behind him quietly.

* * *

 _It's late enough that I don't want to wake anyone up,_ Adrien thought. _I'll go back to my room as quietly as I can..._

Just as his hand touched his doorknob, a soft voice asked, "So, you're a night owl, too?"

He jumped, just a little, but turned with a smile towards Marinette's mother. "Sometimes," he replied. "Marinette and I had a lot to talk about, and we did... but we both need some sleep or we'll be dragging ourselves through tomorrow. So she asked me to tuck her in, I did, and here I am. How about you?"

"Nothing much," Sabine yawned. "Just getting a glass of water and stretching my legs a little." She gave him a gentle smile and added, "She thinks very highly of you, you know."

Adrien thought, _I'm not very experienced at this, but I know this is one of those tests I really don't want to fail, and anything short of honesty will._

"I'm very happy that she does. The feeling is obviously mutual! If it wasn't for her kindness - and yours - I'm not sure where I'd be standing right now," he replied. "That's not a little thing at all, but she's... she's so much more than just that."

"I'm glad you think so," Sabine smiled. "You've been on her mind quite a bit these last few days."

"I have?" Adrien's face lit up for a moment, then returned to its conflicted state. "Both good and bad reasons why, I'm sure. I'll be honest with you, Mrs. Cheng... I'm kind of walking a tightrope in my head. There are... places where part of me really hopes this'll go, but I also don't want her getting tangled up tight with someone whose life is an utter mess right now."

"Which is a thoughtful way of thinking about it, Adrien. Though in the end, the heart wants what it wants, doesn't it?" Sabine mused.

"But that's just it. What does her heart really want?" asked Adrien, his eyes pleading for an answer.

"I wouldn't know," said Sabine, with a cryptic smile. "Perhaps you should ask her that sometime, once things settle down a bit."

"I think that's very good advice. But for now, I think my heart needs sleep. I hear bakers start very early in the morning," he grinned.

"We certainly do. Good night, Adrien," Sabine replied, heading for the stairs.

"Good night, Mrs. Ch... Sabine," said Adrien, catching himself.

* * *

Marinette's eyes refused to close, despite repeated orders from her brain.

 _There is just... so much for me to digest right_ _now,_ she thought. _I had no idea that how Adrien got his Miraculous was that traumatic! And it explains a lot about how he reacted when Firefly showed up._

 _The "I'm afraid that you're from my father" part, not the "she's adorable" part,_ she giggled.

 _Yes, there IS a very handsome boy lying in the next room, and yes, he's definitely into at least one 'side' of me, and oh my GOD I think he almost kissed me just now! As MYSELF! And I think I totally set that up so that he could, if he wanted to!_

She floated back down, slightly closer to stability. _And that's the moment where Mom and Dad open the door and go "Ahem!" and send Adrien home, right?_

 _Focus, Marinette. Helping Adrien is more important right now than silly fantasies of him wanting to kiss me. I'm sure I'm imagining that, anyway._

 _I would LOVE to see him and his father get back together. They both need that so much. It's great that this worked out for him for now, but he can't stay here for too long._ Marinette wrinkled her brow, deep in thought. _But is it my place to even think about trying to help with that?_

 _Tikki seems... suspicious of his father. A Miraculous is no joke, especially if they can do what Adrien said he was trying to do with them, and his father was COLLECTING them? That's not creepy at ALL. He seemed sincere when he turned me into Firefly, and for all his bluster, the Dairy Dynamo wasn't trying to hurt us... just trying to bring Adrien home. But can I trust that that's his father's only motivation?_

 _Or is there a way for me to try to find out?_

 _And the thing with Adrien's power malfunctioning... that's big. Very big. Do I have any right to tell Mom and Dad?_

 _...Do I have any right to HIDE IT?_

 _And how the heck are we going to fix it?_

Marinette rocked back and forth on the edge of a couple of big decisions.

* * *

Adrien knew sleep wasn't coming to him any time soon.

 _I nearly crossed a big line a few minutes ago. And, wow, I sure wanted to..._

He closed his eyes, and imagined Marinette leaning up from her pillow, the two of them sinking into a tender kiss...

...then imagined his right hand touching her cheek and her dissolving into a black mist with a shocked, pained gasp.

 _NO!_ _I cannot let anything like that happen. I'd rather turn it on myself, if that's even possible, than hurt Marinette._

 _Which means that I shouldn't let this go much farther. Not now. She could have all of my heart with one kiss, one look, one SENTENCE if she wanted to, and I'd be helpless to resist. Should I disappear before that happens, for her own safety and her parents' safety?_

 _But just disappearing without a word would hurt her, too._ _I can tell that. She wants so badly to help me through this, but I don't know how anyone can! As much as I hate to admit it, the answers to all of this almost have to lie at home, with my father, with that book, with the research he has on the Miraculouses._

 _And that just brings up another dilemma!_ Adrien winced. _Why DID Dad have those under lock and key? Where did he get them from? Why was he COLLECTING superpowers and magic totems? If I do go home and give him back the Cat Miraculous... what would he do with it?_

 _Can I trust him, now that I know what I know? Plagg seems to think I can do more good with it like this._

 _I could do that. I could be selfish, for a change. I could just stay right here and wake up to those eyes and that smile for as long as I can. Would that be so terrible?_

 _Yeah, I could do that... until my Cataclysm kills someone._

 _Whatever or wherever the answer to THAT may be... I have to find it soon. And I know where I ought to start._

* * *

Nathalie rocked back and forth in her bed, unable to get any rest.

She felt a little bit hungry... and every little twinge of that terrified her.

 _If I get up and get a snack from the kitchen, and the hunger doesn't go away... what in the world can I do?_

Staring at her ceiling, on the other hand, also wasn't making it go away... but since it involved not leaving her bed and not finding out how much trouble she might actually be in, it worked for her for now.

 _I just want my life back_ , she thought...

 _...preferably without having to steal it from anyone else._

* * *

Tikki couldn't sit still.

 _I don't even sleep all that much,_ she thought. _It's just not something that I do. But, wow, would it be so nice if I could just turn my brain off for a few hours and not keep thinking about all of this..._

 _I've seen enough of Adrien to know that he's a good person. The kind I could see Master Fu picking to be Chat Noir, if he didn't already have it, so it's not terrible that he has it now. But things are about to get really complicated and I don't know how much of it I can steer them away from!_

 _We have young love blooming, and they just happen to also be Chat Noir and Ladybug! Chat's already compromised; I don't know how long Marinette can keep Ladybug's secret, or if she or her parents will let it slip. All three are such good people, but they're human, too, and the more Marinette falls for Adrien the harder it'll be for her._

 _And...we have young love blooming, one of them has deadly magic glued to his right hand, and the other's already talking about suffering so that he won't have to. Which is, well, absolutely a Marinette thing to offer, but this has disaster written all over it unless Master Fu can figure something out, and fast._

 _But how can I get either of them to him without giving away that he's a Guardian? I need to talk to him before I tell them that. Somehow._

 _And we have the two halves of the formula for godlike power that SOMEONE in Paris knows about... living under one roof, worn by two kids who are asleep ten meters apart. Which means that it's SO important to keep Marinette's secret, since our Miraculous collector knows who has the Cat..._

 _Arrgh!_ Tikki thought. _I need a vacation, and I haven't even been active again for a week!_

 _And poor Plagg is messed up, too! I wonder if he's as much of a nervous wreck as I am?_

* * *

Plagg slept. He was very good at doing that.

* * *

Next time:

* It's time for some reaching out to happen. But by who, and to whom?

* "I have officially run out of underwear."

* "I really don't need a ride home..."

* "YOU again!"

* Wings spread once more...


	10. The Song in Your Heart

Let's Take It From The Top, Chapter 10: The Song in Your Heart

* * *

Marinette opened her eyes, partly under protest, and smacked her alarm clock with one hand to quiet it. _At least it's Friday,_ she thought. She peeked into the bathroom to make sure that Adrien wasn't in it, then into the spare room to see if Adrien _was_ in it... neither was occupied, so she went back to her room, gathered her things and took a quick morning shower.

It helped wake her the rest of the way up, as much as anything was going to at that moment. After dressing for school, she padded downstairs and plopped down at the kitchen table, getting a smile from her mother. "Long night?" Sabine asked.

"Not long enough," Marinette replied, sleepily. "Nothing that bad, just lots to think about. Is Adrien down helping Dad?"

"He should be back soon, actually; he ran out to the store for a few things. He asked your father if he could be excused briefly, and explained, 'I have officially run out of underwear.' That qualifies as an emergency."

"You mean Dad didn't have any that would fit him?" giggled Marinette, mentally comparing her father's bulk to Adrien's teenage model's frame.

"Well, they'd fit him... but they'd fit another Adrien in the other pantleg," smirked Sabine. "I told him he's welcome to use our laundry room, of course, but since he really only had one pair when he got here..."

"...it never hurts to have backup plans. Got it," Marinette said.

Sabine sipped her tea and poured a cup for her daughter, then asked, "How long do you think he'll be staying with us?"

"That's kind of up to you, isn't it?" answered Marinette, then added, "I know that he's not _gone_ from home. His father wants him back, and Adrien knows he belongs there. I think he mostly needed a few days to clear his head, after..."

Watching Marinette trail off, Sabine asked, "...What was it that did happen? Do you know?"

"We talked for a long time last night. I do know... and like I said to Dad about a certain other topic, it's kind of his secret to tell, not mine. I think it's something they can patch up." Marinette stirred her tea for a moment, then said, "And I do want to help if I can, and I think I _can..._ but I don't want to just shove my way into it, you know?"

"Family things are hard sometimes. I'm glad that we've never had a blowout like that," Sabine agreed. "But I think there isn't much you couldn't get Adrien to agree to, if you asked him."

"You think so?" asked Marinette, a trifle surprised.

"Well, I can't speak for him, honey," smiled Sabine. "I can't read his mind, and some things need to be said face-to-face." Her eyes danced as she watched Marinette imagine just what those things might be. "But I know that YOU know that he thinks the world of you, Marinette. You were there for him in a really tough time, and he appreciates that so much."

She noted Marinette's slowly reddening face. "Anything else I should know about?" she teased.

Shyly, Marinette admitted, "I think he nearly kissed me last night."

"And do you want him to?" Sabine asked, knowingly.

The degree of redness reached candy apple, saying out loud what Marinette didn't.

"Oh, time will tell," Sabine drawled, letting Marinette off the hook. "Don't be late for school, now."

* * *

As she walked to school, Marinette pondered how to handle a number of things. _I do think I know one way that I could ease some tensions,_ she thought. _It's a little risky, but it might lower the alarm levels a bit without giving away Adrien's secrets._

She fell in with her girlfriends as she reached the front of the school. "Normal speed today, I see?" Alya greeted her.

"So far," agreed Marinette. "Though I reserve the right to sprint later if I need to."

They entered the classroom and settled in with a few minutes to spare before the opening bell, a certain seat in the front row still obviously empty. Marinette wrestled with her conscience for a moment... then stood up and approached Ms. Bustier, who was at her desk arranging her lesson plan.

"Hi, Marinette! Can I help you with something?" she asked, brightly.

"Can... I talk to you in private for just a minute, Ms. Bustier?" Marinette asked, a little nervously. "It'll just take a second."

"Sure," her teacher told her, motioning for Marinette to join her out in the hallway. "Step into my office."

Once there and out of eavesdropping range, Marinette swallowed hard... and said, "Ms. Bustier... I wanted to let you know that I've heard from Adrien."

* * *

Her teacher's eyes widened a bit, but her voice remained low and steady. "I see... how long ago?" she asked.

"Last night," Marinette began. _I have to be careful with my story here... I can't give away too much, but I don't want to get caught in a lie, either._ "He's staying with a friend, he told me, and he's healthy and safe. He didn't tell me which friend, or where." _Which is technically true,_ she thought, _since he wouldn't tell me that he's staying with me!_

"Could you reach him again, if you wanted to?" asked Ms. Bustier.

"I could try, but I don't know if he'd answer. He contacted me; I can't, like, snap my fingers and make him show up or anything, I still don't know him _that_ well. I just know you'd asked us to pass it on if we heard anything... so that's what I'm doing. You can let his father know that Adrien's in one piece and has a roof over his head, so he won't worry quite as much." Marinette tried to hide her nervousness, hoping that her teacher wouldn't see straight through her. "Don't make a big deal of it, please. I want to respect Adrien's wishes, but I can also only imagine how his father must feel with him gone."

"I won't. Thank you for telling me, Marinette," Ms. Bustier smiled. "It's very sweet of you to be concerned about him AND his father. I'll pass on that someone in my class heard from him and not name you specifically, if you want me to do it that way."

"That might be best," Marinette agreed. "I do hope he'll be back with us soon."

"Me too," her teacher agreed. "Let's get back in before they wonder."

* * *

In between classes, Marinette stopped to use the bathroom. As she settled in, a little voice from her purse whispered, "That was very considerate of you, Marinette."

Marinette jumped, quite startled. She looked into her purse and whispered, "Tikki? Is that YOU?"

"Who else would fit in here?" Tikki giggled, quietly. "I have to be within a certain range of you for the transformation to work, so... if you need to become Ladybug, I need to be near."

"Huh!" Marinette replied. "That makes sense, but I didn't know you were doing it! Good to know, before someone asks me for something and I say 'Oh, it's in my purse, you can rummage around for it...'"

"I'm good at hiding, but not THAT good," agreed Tikki.

"I didn't cross a line with Adrien earlier, did I? I guess you heard that, then," she asked Tikki. "I didn't want to give away all of what's happening, but I figured his father ought to at least know that he's safe."

"I think you handled that well, Marinette," Tikki assured her. "It was a baby step towards getting them back together without just handing over Adrien to his father. I think his father already knew Adrien was mostly okay; he saw Chat Noir when he sent out the Dairy Dynamo, and he knows who Chat is, of course. But any father would be happy to hear that his son is in a good place."

"I'll tell Adrien later that I told Ms. Bustier that. I don't want to hide anything from HIM if I don't have to," mused Marinette. "I really want to keep his trust. You're not going to get too bored riding along during my classes, are you, Tikki?"

"No, I'm fine," she smiled. "I can zone out easily enough. Plus, I haven't been out of the box for a long while, so your History classes will be interesting!"

* * *

An early afternoon text message lifted Marinette's spirits:

 **[Adrien] Your sweatshirt and pants are yours again. I can wash them for you or burn them, your choice.**

 **[Marinette] Tough choice! I mean, BOY cooties...**

 **[Adrien] I have to admit, it does feel good to dress like myself again.**

 **[Adrien] I picked up an assortment of spare clothes and a duffel bag to carry them in.**

 **[Marinette] Good! I want you to feel comfortable while you're at my place.**

 **[Adrien] Heading down for some more dough-kneading in a few minutes.**

 **[Marinette] Have fun! I'll see you soon.**

* * *

The school day flew by. Marinette hurried through the front door, and stopped in her tracks...

A familiar-looking sedan was parked by the curb, with Adrien's bodyguard by its front door... and Gabriel Agreste standing next to him, scanning the entrance.

 _What the HECK?_ worried Marinette. _I'm sure Ms. Bustier passed on my message, but she wouldn't have given them my name, would she? She promised that she wouldn't..._

She walked down the steps, as casually as she could, and tried not to be startled out of her shoes when a voice called out to her. "Miss Dupain-Cheng?" called Gabriel, and his face brightened as he saw her head turn towards him. There was a little thrill - _Gabriel Agreste, the famous fashion designer, KNOWS WHO I AM! -_ coupled with a metric ton of anxiety in her stomach.

"That's me... Mr. Agreste?" she confirmed, timidly.

"The same," the gentleman smiled. "I was wondering if I could speak with you for a moment? Perhaps offer you a ride home?"

"I... really don't need a ride home, Sir," she quavered. "My house is right over there. But I can talk with you, if you want..."

"May we walk together for a few minutes, then?" he asked, and at her nod, the pair began a slow walk down the sidewalk.

* * *

"I apologize if I startled you, Miss. I've heard your name from Adrien, and I was hoping to meet you in person," Gabriel began. "Obviously, you're aware that my son has been missing from home for several days..."

"I am," Marinette confirmed. "He sits right across from me in class. I miss seeing him there."

 _WOW, do I need to be careful here!_ thought Marinette. _I can't afford to make a bad impression on Adrien's father for about twenty different reasons, but it'd be so easy to slip up..._

"I suppose you're wondering why I came looking for you today..." ventured Gabriel, and got a wide-eyed nod in return. "I received some excellent news this morning. Adrien is staying with one of his friends, according to word from one of his classmates, and is safe and comfortable." Gabriel's eyes searched Marinette's, and she imagined he was looking for some confirmation that she was either one of the people he'd just mentioned.

"That's good to hear," she offered, breathing a sigh of relief. "From what I know of him so far, he's so smart and so nice, it's hard to imagine him getting into too much trouble. But, um..."

"...Why did I come and tell you that, in particular?" Gabriel finished her sentence. _Because you were my eyes and ears once before, and I was your provider of wings?_ he chuckled to himself. _But I have to be wary of letting THAT secret out..._

"My son has made new friends in your school, but he's only told us about a few of them. Right now, in your class, I know of the Nino boy, and of Miss Bourgeois..." He laughed out loud at the sour look on Marinette's face, which she was powerless to prevent. "I see you've met Miss Bourgeois, and between you and me, I share your opinion of her," Gabriel winked. "I've worked with Chloè's father and mother on many occasions, and I can only assume that Chloè was adopted. Possibly from woodland creatures."

Marinette suppressed a giant laugh, shocked at Gabriel's sentiment and his unexpected candor.

"So I know of those two... and of you," he continued. "And my son has spoken of you in the warmest terms, and with obvious respect and interest. He's been around models all his life, so he's rarely one to have his head turned by a pretty face, although yours obviously qualifies..." Gabriel smiled, "so for you to make such an immediate impression upon him speaks volumes."

She blinked, a couple of times, processing that and its implications. _It's one thing to know that Adrien likes me. Or to suspect that he LIKES likes me. But to hear GABRIEL AGRESTE say it to my face like that... And it seems like he APPROVES...!_

"Thus, I am reaching out to you, Mademoiselle. I'd suspect that if he was to message or call anyone from school, you might be among the first," Gabriel explained, as they turned back towards his waiting car. "I would value it greatly if you could be my contact among your classmates, and if word reaches you of his whereabouts or of his status, you might let me know quickly?" He reached into his pocket and produced a card, which she took with a slightly shaking hand. "The number on the front is my business front desk, which my aide Nathalie would answer. The number on the back is my personal cell, and I do not give that out lightly."

"I... see!" Marinette stammered. "I'll help however I can, Mr. Agreste. If I do see him or hear from him... what should I pass on to him?"

"That he is missed, and he is forgiven, and he is loved. That Nathalie is home and unscathed by her experience; he'll know what that means. That while he and I will need to talk about certain things when he arrives home... more than anything else, I simply want him home."

"I'll do that, Mr. Agreste," promised Marinette. "I am... very fond of your son, too, and I'll probably sleep better myself once I know he's home and safe."

 _He's not entirely sure that he can be both home AND safe... but I'll let him make that call,_ Marinette thought, cautiously.

"Thank you, Miss Dupain-Cheng. That means a lot to me, I assure you." He gave her one more warm smile as he entered the rear of the sedan. As the bodyguard returned to the driver's seat, Marinette noticed a well-dressed woman in the passenger seat, who gave her a slight smile and nod. _That must be Nathalie,_ she thought; _she does look pretty normal from here._

Marinette gave the occupants a hesitant wave as the car pulled away, tucking the card into her pocket, a bit dazed from the experience.

 _I just met Adrien's dad. GABRIEL AGRESTE, in person! He knows who I am! He wants MY help! He gave me HIS PERSONAL CELL NUMBER! GABRIEL AGRESTE'S NUMBER!_

 _And all I have to do to win him over... which could be HUGE for both my career and for remaining close with Adrien... is, basically, to betray the boy that I'm falling for, and who might be f-falling for m-me..._

"Tikki," she whispered, as she saw a couple of friends approach her at top speed, "we SO need to talk."

* * *

"WHAT THE HECK?" Alya asked, her jaw dropping, as she watched Marinette try to process what just happened. "That was GABRIEL AGRESTE! He just came here looking for you? What did he give you?"

Marinette searched the depths of her mind for a cover story they would buy...

### ERROR: BRAIN NOT FOUND

"Yeah, what are you doing? Keeping Adrien up in your room until he loves you?" giggled Rose.

 _You're pretty close, Rose, but he's one room over and he's there voluntarily,_ she thought. _Holy crap, this is all happening!_

"He... um... apparently, he'd talked with Adrien before he disappeared about whom Adrien had befriended in school, and he'd mentioned Chloè and me. And Mr. Agreste thinks that Chloè is... Chloè." That got a round of laughing agreement. "So he thought, I need someone at the school who Adrien, um, likes, and Alya _don't you say a word about that right now_ , who'd be someone Adrien might contact."

"So HAS Adrien contacted you?" asked Juleka, and several faces hung on Marinette's answer.

"I've sent him some messages," replied Marinette. _And, of course, he sent some back and then he moved in with me, and we both became superheroes._ _La, la, la!_ "If I do hear from Adrien, he'd like me to call him and let him know."

"THAT'S someone who'd be good to have favors with, if you want to become a fashion designer," marveled Alya.

"Yeah, and it's not like you'd be giving up much," snickered Alix. "I mean, he DID put gum on your seat, right? He-"

"NO. He DIDN'T," snapped Marinette, surprising Alix with her ferocity and speed. "Chloè and Sabrina did that! He was trying to take it off before I got there, and he hadn't even met me yet! He's kind, and he's sweet, and you will NOT talk about him like that!"

Marinette took a breath and realized that she had her finger in Alix's face and was yelling at her... and Alix was backing away, fearfully... and the other girls were all staring at the scene as if Marinette had just pulled out a running chainsaw.

"WHOA! I'm... I'm sorry, Alix! That was way out of line," stammered Marinette. "I, uh..."

"I take it back! I take it back! It's okay, Marinette!" Alix said, stunned and catching her breath. "I believe you! Um, wow... I've never seen you react like that before to anything!"

"Me, neither," mumbled Marinette, surprised at herself. "Still friends?" she asked, extending a hand to Alix.

"Of course we are!" replied Alix, with a grin. "Actually, that was pretty cool to watch."

* * *

The girls huddled up once Marinette headed back home and Alix's physical integrity was no longer endangered.

"That was... intense," marveled Juleka.

"I'll say! When Marinette's passionate about something, she goes all out... but I've never seen her like that about a BOY before!" Rose agreed.

"And there's no doubt in my mind that Adrien likes HER, too," said Alya. "It sure didn't take long for them to connect. And that leaves us with just one question..."

"Who's going to be next to ask her about gum on her seat?" deadpanned Juleka.

"Not it!" yelled Alix, to some laughter. "Nah, the question's simpler than that... where the heck IS he?"

* * *

As it happened, at that moment, Adrien Agreste was close enough that the girls could've seen him, had walls not been in the way.

Marinette entered the bakery's kitchen carefully, trying not to make Adrien douse himself in flying flour again. "I'm home!" she called.

"Hi!" called both Tom and Adrien, from opposite sides of the room. Tom was checking some items in the oven for doneness, while Adrien was focusing on something on a table in front of him.

She waved at Adrien as she walked over to her father, waiting for him to step away from the oven. "How'd the day go here?" she asked.

"Very well!" Tom beamed. "For one, your and Adrien's cookies all sold! Pretty quickly, too."

"Cool!" Marinette said, very happy about that. "I had a great partner on those."

"Better than average sales apart from that, from what your mother told me," added Tom, his smile widening, "AND... someone had a very good idea for something we can add to our regular inventory!"

"Oh?" Marinette followed her father's gaze, then his pointing finger, turning around to find...

...Adrien standing before her, holding a narrow cardboard rod in his hands. There were a couple of tiny branches poking out of either side, with little green icing leaves attached to them, and a large cookie on the top. The cookie was roughly flower-shaped, and had an ornate red icing rose drawn on it.

"Oh!" replied Marinette, with visible surprise... and then found herself unable to find anything else to say. Adrien's smile was infectious, and she matched it nearly instantly.

"For you, Marinette?" he asked, bowing slightly as he extended the cookie rose to her; she accepted it happily, trying hard not to melt into a puddle on the spot.

"Thank you, Adrien," she glowed. "This is really beautiful! Was this your idea?"

"It was!" grinned Adrien. "Your father showed me how to make the leaves, and I did the rose the way you showed me how to frost cookies yesterday."

"We can put them in flower boxes, and sell them to young lovers by the dozen, or sell them as singles!" Tom crowed. "Simple to make, and they'll fly out of here! A very creative idea."

"But the first one is yours," blushed Adrien, "for helping me learn how to make them. Among many other reasons."

"You... oh, I could just..." stammered Marinette, before her better judgment reasserted itself. "Dad, I need to steal Adrien for a moment... and, no, not for that reason," she called over, anticipating her father's teasing before it happened. _Though he might've just earned that reason later, if he plays his cards right!_ she giggled, internally.

* * *

Adrien followed Marinette as she led him to a side room, not quite sure what she intended. Her face had a curious mixture of excitement and concern on it, and she stopped him from speaking with a raised finger.

"First off, Adrien Agreste, I am absolutely _melting_ over that rose and you know it," she grinned. "But I have something important to tell you first, and you might not feel as romantic after you hear it. I just walked out of school and your father was waiting for me, and it might've been my fault."

"WHAT?" Adrien gasped. "How did that happen?"

Marinette described her conversation with Ms. Bustier, quickly. "I kept your secret; I didn't tell her anything about where you were or that I could find you... just that I knew you were safe and happy right now, and that they could pass that on to your father if they wanted to, without naming my name." Her eyes were soulful, and a little afraid. "You did say that you felt bad that he was worrying so much. I thought I had a way to ease both your minds without putting him on your trail. Did I screw up?"

Adrien thought about that for a moment. "No... no, you didn't," he assured her. "You told her pretty much exactly what I wanted my father to know, without my having to call him myself. Thank you for that, actually! That was very perceptive of you..."

"I was hoping I wasn't crossing a line that I shouldn't," Marinette said, quietly. "But it seemed like the right thing to do when I did it."

"It was," said Adrien, with a big smile that made her feel a little better. "But then what happened?"

She then described her encounter with his father, showed him the card he'd given her - "Wow, that IS his private number!" marveled Adrien, "He doesn't hand that out to ANYBODY!" - and recited the message he'd asked her to pass on to Adrien, if she made contact.

"Wow," Adrien said, in a hushed voice. "I guess... that kind of changes some things. And you said you saw Nathalie in the car, and she looked okay?"

"Well, I don't know if she was Nathalie or not, but she matched your description of her," confirmed Marinette. "And I saw nothing unusual about her."

"Hmmm." Adrien looked thoughtful. "Did my father say anything else that was interesting?"

He watched, with surprise, as Marinette abruptly turned crimson. "Hey," he asked, grinning, "what DID he say?"

"That... he'd come to me because you'd been telling him all about me, before you disappeared," smiled Marinette, lowering her eyes to the floor. "And that you were very complimentary of me."

"Of course I was," grinned Adrien, moving a little closer. "You've been captivating me from the first day we met."

Marinette looked up, meeting his gaze, and her knees went weak. "I... I've never done this before, Adrien," she sighed.

"Done what?" he asked.

"What I hope you're about to do," Marinette whispered.

"I thought we didn't come back here for 'that reason,'" Adrien laughed lightly, smiling from ear to ear, moving still closer.

"Plans change."

Their faces slowly moved towards each other, Adrien's arms gliding around her gently...

* * *

*SNAP!*

* * *

"MARINETTE!" gasped Adrien, catching her as she went limp. "ARE YOU ALL RIGHT?"

"Whoa!" muttered Marinette, holding her head. "I'm a... little dizzy. That was _some kiss!"_

"We, uh, never got there," Adrien said. "That bit about 'whenever you need to drain someone, just a little, touch me' that you said? It just happened, completely by accident! I SWEAR it was by accident..."

"Obviously! Okay... um... good," she smiled, as she regained her footing. "That way when we DO start kissing for real, it won't kill me."

"Look at me... up here... you're okay?" Adrien rattled off, fussing over her. "That was SO STUPID of me. I am so _sorry!"_

"Why?" asked Marinette, with big eyes. "You didn't mean it."

"Of course I didn't," he grumbled, "but I thought I felt a little twinge of it earlier. I should have KNOWN better than to touch you like that with that hand!"

Marinette had never gotten drunk, of course, being fourteen years old... but she imagined that this is what it might feel like if she had. _I feel... funky. Sort of like I'm still in control of my body, but the steering wheel's made of Jell-O._ "For what it's worth," she purred, "I'll take that chance again."

"No! I mean..." Adrien did his best to steady her without his right hand being involved in it. "That was just a fraction of it, and you're woozy like this! If it hits you again, I might put you in the hospital! I... oh, boy."

She shook it off as best she could. "Okay... look. We're both going to have to walk out there like nothing just happened, right? I can do this."

"You're SURE?" Adrien asked, with some disbelief.

"I'm sure," she said, taking a couple of deep breaths. "Though if you'd walk upstairs with me to make sure that I get there, I wouldn't mind at all."

* * *

Tom gave them a very strange look when they emerged, Marinette smiling broadly but visibly somewhat shaky, and Adrien making an excuse to walk upstairs with her immediately. _Did the boy kiss her, or bop her with a mallet?_

Upstairs, in her room, Marinette laid back on her bed and decided that it would be where she'd spend the next hour or so, or possibly a few months. "Okay, we were _both_ right," she told Adrien. "That whammy of yours does pack quite a punch, even when it's at a low level... but I'm telling you, if it means the difference between you being able to function and you hiding in a warehouse, _I can take it_."

"No, you _can't,_ " argued Adrien. "You just got a fraction of it and now it's naptime, and you're lucky that that's all it was!" He closed his eyes and gritted his teeth. "I am just... _too dangerous_ to be around anyone right now. Especially you. I will NOT hurt y-"

THAT woke Marinette up. "NO," she demanded, grabbing his chin with her hand and turning it to face her. "You are NOT going to slink off and hide and eat cheese puffs in an alley until something terrible happens. WE are not going to let that happen."

"I don't know that there can BE a 'we' if I might fry you any given time that I touch you!" fretted Adrien. "What if -"

"Adrien Agreste, I have one question for you. Whatever that power is, it comes from your right hand, and only your right hand. Correct?" demanded Marinette.

"Yes... as far as I know. I've never seen it come from anything el-"

His words were cut off when the girl beneath him leaned up, took his face in her hands and pulled him down into a kiss, making sure that if he needed to support himself, he could use his left hand.

About thirty seconds later, they opened their eyes.

"There's a 'we,'" grinned Marinette.

"There sure is," admitted Adrien. "And now I'M dizzy."

"Go back down and finish up the bakery stuff, so my father doesn't think we're doing... what we might end up doing if you don't go back down and finish up the bakery stuff," giggled Marinette. "We'll... talk more about this later."

"You're SURE you'll be okay?" worried Adrien, still extremely concerned.

"I'm fine. I have you. How can I not be fine?" she smiled up at him.

* * *

Once the door shut, Marinette closed her eyes and rode the emotional high of her first kiss... then collapsed into a heap on her bed, letting herself look as drained as she actually had been feeling. "Tikki... are you there?" she whispered.

"Of course, Marinette," said Tikki, floating over to her with an anxious face. "How are you feeling?"

"Like I got hit by a truck, and then it kissed me," she pondered. "I'm not sure which hit harder! I know what I told Adrien... but I don't know that I can do that more than once. The zap, I mean; the kissing, I'm good with."

"You're lucky it happened _once_ and you're talking to me right now," worried Tikki. "Having a Miraculous on your body probably helped protect you from its magic, at least a little bit, but I can see that you're wiped out."

"Inside AND out," sighed Marinette. "What am I going to do?"

Tikki flitted back and forth, trying to find any option other than what she was about to suggest. "You have, what, an hour, hour and a half before dinnertime, right? And Adrien should be busy downstairs until then, so he shouldn't come looking for you..."

"Why? Where would I be going?" asked Marinette, mystified.

"I know of someone who might be able to help you, Marinette. A... Chinese herbalist in town. If you transform to Ladybug, our shared strength should be enough to get you to him." _And I need to talk with him soooooo badly,_ mused Tikki. _Now more than ever, on about four different levels._

* * *

Across town, an old man bent over a table, gently pushing pressure points on a customer... when a tiny voice chimed in, unexpectedly.

"Master, Master!" cried Wayzz, trying to remain just out of sight.

The customer looked up at Master Fu strangely... and more strangely still, once the old man hustled him off the table. "Master, master... chanting, it's all part of the treatment," he assured the customer. "Thank you for coming, see you again next week!" he said, guiding him out the front door.

"Master, I am sorry to interrupt, but..." babbled Wayzz, flitting about nervously.

"No, I sense it, too. She's here!"

The front door opened, and a young woman half-staggered into the shop, still not entirely sure why her Kwami had sent her here. She looked up as she heard footsteps approach her...

"YOU again!" smiled Marinette. "We seem to be crossing paths quite a bit lately, Mr. Wang. How was the party platter?"

"The party went... well. Most delicious desserts," Master Fu replied, mentally picturing his refrigerator shelves still overloaded with pastries. He looked Marinette up and down with experienced eyes, and quickly guided her to the therapy room. "Please, come, lie down! Your energies are very disrupted."

"You can tell that just by looking at me?" wondered Marinette.

"I can tell that because you can barely stand up, child," he smiled. "You have had quite the day."

"Tell me about it," she muttered, but with a hint of a smile.

* * *

Marinette rested as Master Fu lit an assortment of incenses around her, applied pressure and warm stones to her back in several places, murmured words unknown to her, banged a small gong... _I have no idea if what he's doing will help, but my mother's seen herbalists like this before. I'll trust that Tikki knows what she's talking about!_ She closed her eyes, as instructed, and did her best to relax.

In the next room, Master Fu conferred with Tikki, quietly. "Is she going to be okay?" the Kwami buzzed.

"One who is burning with their patient can never eat hot porridge," he admonished her.

Tikki looked confused. "I'm sorry, master, but what has this got to do with eating?

He chuckled. "Not much. Still reading her energies. You were right to bring her here."

"There's far more I must share," Tikki blurted out.

Quickly, Tikki brought him up-to-date on Chat Noir's Cataclysm problem, on Gabriel Agreste's likelihood of possessing the Moth, on Adrien's living situation and relationship with the Dupain-Chengs, on the budding romance, on Gabriel's having reached out directly to Marinette - first as Papillon, and now as _himself..._

Master Fu stared at her in astonishment. "Maybe I should move in with Marinette, too. It may be the only way to keep up with all this!"

He looked at Tikki's downcast face and reached out to her, gently. "Have faith, Tikki. I believe I will be stopping by for croissants more often. When you sense me there, we will meet outside and keep each other informed. Now, I must return to my patient..."

* * *

The gong rang out one more time, and Master Fu smiled down at Marinette. "Please, rise," he directed her... and to her surprise, she found it much easier to do so. "How are you feeling now?" he asked.

"Much stronger!" she said, looking herself over. "Thank you, thank you so much! You're a real magician, sir! How did you do that?"

"Ancient Chinese secret," he smiled. "Should what happened to you, happen again... please return. Though if you can avoid what happened, do it! Tell your parents that I loved their desserts, and that I will be back."

The young lady left through the front door, with a big smile and a pleasant wave, and he laughed to himself.

 _Ancient Chinese secret... just like yours._

* * *

In his office, Gabriel Agreste smiled to himself. "Nooroo, what did you make of her?"

Nooroo pondered how to respond. _You mean, apart from the Ladybug Miraculous on her ears? A perfectly normal girl._ "An extremely pleasant and positive young lady," he ventured. "I can see how your first butterfly was drawn to her; I'm surprised that they all aren't."

"She may be just what I need to bring my son home. A trusted friend, a classmate, perhaps a romantic interest? She's compassionate enough to want what's best for him and smart enough to know that it's here." Gabriel laughed, "AND she was a marvelous Firefly. Do you think that she'd like to take to the skies again, Nooroo?"

"It's... possible?" _Is it? Enhancing a Miraculous host CAN happen... I've done it before with the lower tier of them. But with the LADYBUG?_

"I feel good about this, Nooroo... Spread your wings!"

Nooroo's concerns, like Nooroo, were swallowed up in Gabriel's transformation to Papillon. He focused on a nearby butterfly, charging it up with positive energy, then scanned the city of Paris briefly. "A young woman, feeling the warmth of compassion, the thrills of... well! It seems that perhaps my son wastes little time," he chuckled. "The tingle of new romance should be a siren song for you, little butterfly!"

He watched it flutter out his window, silvery wings sparkling in the late afternoon sun.

* * *

Next time:

* The butterfly finds its destination...

* Nathalie's options are becoming limited.

* After-dinner chatter.

* Adrien makes a move.

* "This is hard for me to write..."

* * *

INTERMISSION

Hi, kids! Your friendly neighborhood author here to say a couple of things:

1) Thank you for reading this far. This story isn't getting the numbers some of my others have, but I don't really care as long as those of you who are reading it are enjoying it. We're about halfway through the overall story arc, I think, though I reserve the right to adjust that.

2) If you like this story, there are others on my profile that you're encouraged to check out. The Marinette Project and Tyger, Tyger, Burning Bright are my two biggest hits so far; check 'em out if you haven't already.

More to come this week!


	11. An Electrifying Performance

Let's Take It From The Top, Chapter 11: An Electrifying Performance

* * *

A silver butterfly glittered in the Parisian sky, floating on a gentle air current, seeking out its master's target. A young woman, sweet and emotional, light in heart and mind, the joy of a new romance bubbling in her soul...

The butterfly flew towards the Dupain-Cheng home, circled the neighborhood briefly... and found its target with ease. Slowly, it descended without a sound...

* * *

She walked down the street, half-dancing, almost floating. _I still can't believe that that just HAPPENED!_ she thought, overwhelmed by her romantic encounter of just an hour before.

 _I knew that he had a sweet side... I could see that in his eyes, and in the way that he talked with me. Not everyone gets that about him, but I do,_ she smiled. _It's so easy to look at him and write him off, like you know exactly what he'd be like as a person. Even I did, at first! I'm so glad that I gave him another look and another chance!_

The girl waved at a couple of people walking by her, whom she didn't know, and got a half-smile, half _-huh?_ in return. _I just want everyone around me to be as happy as I am right now! Is that so much to ask?_ she giggled.

She closed her eyes and remembered the moments leading up to their first kiss. _I still can't believe that he made what he did, just for me!_ she beamed. _Not every girl can say she's gotten one of those from such a handsome young man..._

* * *

Tikki hid away in Marinette's pocket as they strolled down the street, her mood not quite as overwhelmingly buoyant as her host's. Certainly, it was good to see Marinette back in high spirits and good health... but there were still a lot of troubles left to be dealt with.

 _Marinette got very lucky today,_ she thought, _and not just with Adrien's romantic desires_. _That quarter-Cataclysm was just short of doing real damage to her; at LEAST enough to put her in the hospital. Obviously, Adrien didn't mean it, but that's also the problem; he can't control it! Master Fu seems to think that maybe he can do something about it, but that involves getting the two of them together, preferably without spoiling just who Master Fu is! And I don't know how we do THAT._

She listened to Marinette humming a happy tune as she waltzed home, and smiled. _She is so perfectly matched with Adrien,_ thought Tikki. _If we can resolve the Cataclysm problem, they'll be beyond cute together! But if we can't..._

Tikki shuddered, refusing to even consider some of those possibilities.

 _And then there's Adrien's father. I doubt that we've seen the last of..._

"...Papillon?" Tikki gasped. "Marinette, LOOK UP!"

Marinette looked above her and saw a familiar, glittering sight. "WHOA!" she replied, not sure how to react. "Tikki... what should I do? Do butterflies and Ladybugs mix well? Should I take my earrings out? Should I hide?"

"I'm... not sure!" whispered Tikki. "Follow it for now! It looks like it's headed towards your house..."

"Yeah!" said Marinette, and started to run... then stopped, briefly, as a thought struck her. "But... I'M over HERE!"

* * *

The butterfly looked beautiful up in the sky, its wings sparkling with both particles of magic and reflected sunlight.

From about half a block away, Marinette crept up on the silver messenger, still not quite sure if this was a good idea or not. _Is it going to circle back for me if it senses me? Do I WANT it to?_

A little part of her mind giggled, _If Adrien thought Firefly was adorable BEFORE... wait 'til she's kissing him in mid-air!_

"Marinette... it's diving!" cried Tikki, abruptly. "It's found its target!"

* * *

 _That sweet, wonderful boy..._ the young woman thought. _Once he toned his singing voice down from heavy-metal screaming, that song he wrote for me was SO romantic...!_

She closed her eyes, dreamily... then opened them wide as something mysterious touched one of her hair ornaments, and a strange silver energy appeared before her face!

* * *

Papillon smiled broadly as contact was made... then raised an eyebrow in surprise. _THIS isn't Marinette Dupain-Cheng!_

"Greetings, er... Mylenè Haprèle! I am known as Papillon. My butterfly is drawn to positive emotions, such as happiness and love, and it seems that you are overflowing with both at the moment!"

The girl was terrified at first, but tried to calm herself down once she figured out that she was unhurt and that nothing bad seemed to be happening. "I... yes, I am, but who the heck ARE you? Why are you doing this?"

"I need your help, Mylenè. There is a young man in Paris right now, dressed as a black cat, who has a power that he cannot control. I need a person who can find him, and either talk him into coming home... or bring him home, if need be. My butterfly can grant you superpowers, for a while. Perhaps something with the strength and spirit of your new paramour, hmmm?"

"Can I really be of help? I'm just... a small, scared girl," Mylenè said, still unsure.

"If you accept my offer, and I hope that you will, you won't be for long," Papillon smiled. "Are you willing to give it a try?"

"O-okay," murmured Mylenè...

...then she gasped with wonder, as an energy chrysalis formed around her!

* * *

Wide blue eyes watched the transformation from half a block away. "Tikki, that was MYLENÈ! She's a friend of mine from school! Is SHE going to become Firefly, too?" asked Marinette.

"I doubt it! Usually, every transformation is different! They're very personal," said Tikki. "LOOK!"

The chrysalis split open, and Mylenè stepped out, pulsing with energy... and growing rapidly! In a matter of moments, she stood revealed as an animated stone statue, around five meters high, bulging with muscles! Large, multicolored dreadlocks adorned her head, and a surprised and awed smile spread across her rocky face.

"WAIT 'TILL IVAN SEES THIS!" she gasped in delight. "I'm like something off of one of his album covers now!"

"Welcome... Dreadnaught!" smiled Papillon. "Now, here is the task I have for you..."

* * *

"Okay... THAT is a new look for Mylenè," boggled Marinette. "Look at the size of her! Tikki, what do you think we should do?"

"Adrien is down in the bakery... but he's got to come out sometime, and if he's not Chat Noir when she finds him, he'll stand no chance!" Tikki noted.

"I'll warn him first... then I think we both know what comes next," Marinette said, pulling out her phone:

 **[Marinette] Mylenè turned into one of Papillon's creatures! Look out the window... but be careful!**

"Okay, Tikki... SPOTS ON!"

* * *

The stone golem stomped out into the middle of the street, roaring loudly. Traffic swerved around her, screams were heard from all directions, and one car smacked into a bench and trash can...

"Hey, you!" called a small voice from an unlikely place - up in the air!

The golem looked up, surprised, as a red-and-black blur swung by her head and flipped down onto the ground, about ten meters away. "Don't suppose you'd care to move onto the sidewalk?"

"Actually... you're exactly who I was looking for, Ladybug!" said the golem, visibly relaxing. "I'm called Dreadnaught, and Papillon sent me because, well, when it comes to luring superheroes, what could be better than creating other superbeings?"

"Okay, Dreadnaught. With that hair, your name is perfect," parried Ladybug. "So... you found me. Now what?"

"I have a message for you. Or, rather, I have messengers for you..." Dreadnaught took a deep breath... looked like she was struggling with something in her stomach... then belched out a stream of silver butterflies, which flocked together and formed a rough approximation of a face. It looked like a middle-aged man's head with combed-back hair, wearing a mask in the shape of a butterfly. Dreadnaught slumped over, her animating force clearly concentrating on the bunched-up insects at the moment.

To Ladybug's visible surprise... the face began to speak, with a clearly audible voice!

"Greetings, Ladybug! I am Papillon, the keeper of the Moth Miraculous. You are the first other Miraculous host I've ever met face-to-face... a sort of a face, at least... and I am delighted to meet you," said the voice emanating from the face.

"Charmed, I'm sure," she replied, a little warily. "I suppose I'm not the easiest to reach, but I don't give my address out to strangers very often. What is it that you need from me?"

"I have something that I must discuss with you... in private. It involves someone I am searching for... and someone _he_ was searching for, most intently. I believe you may be the key to both reunions, Ladybug." Papillon's voice was not unfriendly, but it still gave Ladybug the creeps, for reasons she couldn't quite pinpoint. "Would you be interested in assisting your Chat Noir in that way?"

"First off, he's not _my_ Chat Noir," Ladybug said with a grin. _Well, he IS as of an hour or so ago, but YOU don't know that!_ "I've only met him the one time, when your ice cream guy tried to freeze my kidneys solid."

"I do apologize for that!" Papillon's face said, earnestly. "My Dairy Dynamo was well-intentioned, but a bit... impetuous. Hence I came up with this method so that we could speak, rather than fight. Remaining civilized is so much better, don't you think?"

"It beats getting mint chocolate chip in my hair. But, regardless, I can't snap my fingers and make Chat Noir appear..."

* * *

Green eyes looked out a window in the Dupain-Cheng Boulangerie, trying to remain out of sight, though the... people? he was looking at seemed preoccupied.

 _It's Ladybug again!_ thought Adrien. _And the thing that Marinette warned me about... geez, that's big! And some kind of floating talking head. It's amazing that my life has gotten weird enough that I can just go 'Oh, look, a floating talking head made of bugs' and not freak out!_

 _MARINETTE!_ he realized, suddenly. _She had to have been near enough to see that statue thing; did it try to hurt her? Did she get away?_

* * *

Ladybug oriented herself so that both the face and Dreadnaught had their backs... well, as much of a back as a floating head had... to her house. _If Adrien does sneak a peek, I don't want him seen,_ she thought. _I don't know if the face can do anything, but Dreadnaught looks like she could tear the building down to find him!_

"So what is it that you'd want me to do, then?" she asked Papillon. "I don't-"

BREEP! went her cell phone, indicating an incoming message. "Er, um... sorry about that! Messages, heh. I knew I should've silenced my phone before transforming," she apologized, sheepishly. _Probably Adrien texting "WHAT ARE YOU DOING OUTSIDE?! RUN AWAY!", unless I miss my guess..._

"Actually... do take a number down for me, would you please?" Papillon asked, and rattled off a series of numbers that she typed in. "If you encounter Chat Noir, please speak with him for me. Tell him that I know what caused his... accident, and that I believe that with your assistance... we can do it right."

Her astonished eyes betrayed her foreknowledge. "So, you know something of this?" queried Papillon, with a raised eyebrow.

 _There's not hiding much of anything from him, I see._ "A little," admitted Ladybug. "Chat Noir told me some of how he came about. Not enough to know how I'd fit into this scheme."

"Speak to him of this. If he proves agreeable... message me at the number I gave you, and I will arrange a time and place for the three of us to meet." _And if he does not... well, I have more persuasive, albeit distasteful methods that I may use._

"If I see him, I'll pass it on and see what he says. I'd, um, say 'let's shake on it,' but you don't have hands," she quipped.

"Poor Dreadnaught can only house so many butterflies," smiled Papillon. "Until we meet again..."

The butterflies separated and floated away, and Dreadnaught slowly regained her senses. "That was... interesting," she murmured. "We don't have to, like, _fight_ now, do we?"

"Can you think of any reason that we should?" agreed Ladybug. "I can't. I guess we can each go our own way, and transform back. Nice to meet you, Dreadnaught!"

She leapt away, the girls waving to each other. Ladybug circled back once she was out of sight, intent on making sure that Dreadnaught was indeed changing back. From afar, she saw Papillon's energy signature on Dreadnaught's face...

* * *

"Now what, Sir?" Dreadnaught asked, meekly, in marked contrast to her imposing physical form. "Ladybug got your message, and I don't see Chat Noir anywhere nearby."

"That'll do for now, then. I would suggest that you get out of sight and transform back, so as to save the rest of your energy," Papillon replied. "I appreciate your help very much, Mylenè, and I hope that I may call upon you again."

"I... um... thank you, Papillon. I'll try." Dreadnaught ducked behind a building into an alley - it was a VERY tight fit - and added, "Transform me!", changing back to Mylenè.

A bit overwhelmed by her experience, Mylenè dashed away, hurriedly. _Ivan isn't going to believe what just happened!_ she thought. _Then again, will anyone else?_

* * *

Adrien watched as Ladybug and Dreadnaught conversed, gradually becoming more relaxed about it once he saw that they weren't coming to blows. _I'm glad that I don't have to go charging out as Chat Noir and protect her,_ he thought. _I think that Ladybug can take of herself well enough, but everybody has a plan until they get punched in the face by a giant living statue..._

His eyes followed Dreadnaught as she left, then went back to Ladybug, and he chuckled when he saw her double back to make sure that Dreadnaught wasn't causing trouble. _Smart of her._ _I like her instincts; don't fight if you don't have to, but make sure that you don't have to._

Once the danger was over, Ladybug paused, evidently thinking to herself... then turned towards the bakery with a grin.

Adrien blinked. _Is she looking right at me now?_

 _...She just waved at me!_

 _THAT I did not expect._

Ladybug swung away, and about thirty seconds later, Adrien's phone lit up.

 **[Marinette] Do you have any idea who's standing next to me right now?**

 **[Adrien] Rémi Gaillard?**

 **[Marinette] If it is, it's his best disguise EVER... No, silly, it's Ladybug!**

 **[Adrien] How? What are you even doing outside? You were totally wiped out when I left you!**

 **[Marinette] It wore off, mostly? I took a walk to clear my head and then, hello Mylenè and Papillon!**

 **[Marinette] So I hid until it was over, then I came out to say 'thank you' and meet her.**

 **[Marinette] She asked some of us, "Has anyone seen Chat Noir lately?" and I was like, um, yep!**

 **[Marinette] I left out the "He's a very good kisser" part. /3**

 **[Adrien] Never leave out that part. It's good for my reputation. Why was she looking for me?**

 **[Marinette] Something Papillon told her. She needs to talk with you about it.**

 **[Marinette] Is there a time and place that you can meet?**

 **[Adrien] ...**

 **[Marinette] It's fine with me. Superhero stuff ranks above snuggle time. Though snuggles WILL happen.**

 **[Adrien] But what if I don't want to sn- no, I can't even finish that sentence.**

 **[Adrien] Eight o'clock, Eiffel Tower.**

 **[Marinette] She says that's fine with her. Will be back soon!**

Ladybug fiddled with her phone a little more, and laughed out loud when she realized what had happened just before that conversation.

 _The phone number Papillon just gave me... returned "Contact already exists in phone!"_ , she giggled. _Gee, I wonder if my hunch about Papillon being Gabriel Agreste was right?_

* * *

In his office, Gabriel Agreste wound down his day ruminating on the actions he'd just taken and the proposition he'd made.

 _I cannot believe that I just gave my cell phone number to a teenage girl wearing a mask!_ he mused, chuckling to himself. _But it's not as if she could ever trace it to its true owner... Besides, given what is at stake, it's worth the minor risk, and I don't really have anything to hide from her anyway, do I? She knows what the Moth Miraculous is and that it is in Paris. I have done nothing wrong with it, nor do I plan to if I can avoid it._

 _If she learns Chat Noir's true identity, she will have mine, and I do not know if he has been compromised. But by the time this whole saga concludes, I suspect I will have reason to reveal myself, just to explain why I am so sincere about needing to borrow the Ladybug and Cat. Besides, perhaps extending a little trust will gain me the valuable knowledge of where the Ladybug Miraculous resides for half of every day!_

 _This is all so very delicate. I must watch my steps carefully._

A loud noise from the next room distracted him, and he focused on that momentarily; it sounded like Nathalie having an excruciating time of it on the telephone. He stepped out to better overhear her argument with one of the company's suppliers, punctuated by her slamming the receiver down and clasping her head in her hands.

"Trouble, Nathalie?" he inquired, lightly. "Not your first frustration of the day. How are you feeling?"

She looked up at him with half-closed eyes. "Would you like the professional answer or the honest one, Mr. Agreste?" she sighed, wearily.

"I'd prefer the honest one, and I'd be alarmed if I gave you reason not to provide it," Gabriel frowned. "You're not looking like yourself today."

"I haven't been myself..." _Say it, Nathalie_ _!_ she ordered herself. _You need the help._ "...since that night, with Adrien," she admitted through gritted teeth.

"What?" Gabriel replied. "Why hadn't you told me _sooner?_ Shut all that down," he said, motioning to her computers, "and come walk with me. We're closing things down early today so that we can talk about this."

"Yes, sir," she sighed, complying. _Well, there it is, the cat's out of the bag. I have no idea what'll come next..._

* * *

Dinner time arrived, and Marinette and Adrien took their seats at the table, trying to act casual... but slowly realizing that Marinette's parents were silently smiling at both of them.

"...What?" asked Marinette, laughing nervously.

"That didn't take long," smirked Tom.

"What didn't?" she asked him, innocently.

Sabine pointed at them with her fork and directed, "Here's a challenge for you two. Go the next ten seconds without looking at each other and grinning."

They made it to a count of four before both turned red and started laughing. "Guilty as charged," Adrien admitted. "We like each other."

"We sure didn't see that coming, did we, dear?" Sabine asked her husband, who chuckled.

"Not at all," replied Tom. "Like oil and water, you two."

"Now, be fair," protested Marinette. "It took me a little while to figure out that his inside was just as gorgeous as his outside."

"Yeah, a whole week! That was quite the lengthy courtship," her mother teased. "I'm very happy for you two."

"I'll understand," ventured Adrien, "if it means that we have to change our, er, living arrangements... If I'm going to stay at all, I can move down to the couch."

"Why?" Tom asked. "If you stay where you're at now, does that mean you'll be tiptoeing into Marinette's room in the middle of the night?"

"N-no," Adrien stammered. "I didn't plan on that..."

"Nor did I expect you to," smiled Tom. "All I'll say are two simple words: _just_ _behave_. No crazy behavior, no crazy new rules."

"That is a relief," replied Marinette. "I mean, I didn't expect padlocks on my door, or anything like that..."

"We know we raised you right," Sabine said. "And we can certainly tell that Adrien was raised to be a gentleman. I don't think we need to worry much unless you two give us reasons to worry, and you won't do that, right?"

They smiled at each other, and Marinette reached over and took his left hand. "I think we'll be fine with that," she replied.

"And, no, silly grins and goo-goo eyes won't make us worry, so by all means, please continue," her mother quipped, enjoying the sudden red glow from that side of the table.

* * *

Gabriel and Nathalie walked together to a quiet room at the far end of the house, where she took a seat on the sofa and Gabriel sat across from her in an armchair. "Please, Nathalie, tell me what's been happening to you!" he implored. "What can I do to help you?"

Nathalie smiled at him, as best she could. _He does have concern for me,_ she thought, _but just as much because whatever's happening to me might be happening to his son._ "It's... You know how I've been eating you out of house and home ever since I came back from the hospital?" she began. "It's like I have a second hunger in me, and that one has nothing to do with food."

"Dare I ask what it IS about, then?" Gabriel asked, worriedly.

Nervously, she told her boss the story of the cafe incident. "As soon as I made contact with that poor boy, the hunger stopped and I felt like I'd had a triple espresso," she admitted, with pleading eyes. "Slowly, I came back down to my normal energy levels... and then it started going the other way. Right now, I feel like I'm starving inside and I'm terrified that the next person I touch, whoever they are, might not wake up."

She closed her eyes and hung her head. "But if I don't touch SOMEONE... I don't know if I can control it much longer."

The look on Gabriel's face didn't do much to reassure her; it was compassion mixed with horror, not the "Oh, THAT! I know how to fix THAT!" expression that, honestly, she hadn't been expecting.

"I see..." he intoned, clearly not seeing what he wanted to see. "For now, Nathalie... please rest and conserve your energy. I will consult my research and see if I can find something... ANYTHING that might help you! If you can think of anything, do not hesitate. I am so sorry that my son got you into this situation, Nathalie..."

He stood up with a pained expression. "...And if I need to DRAG him back here to set things right... I have the means for that."

* * *

Around seven o'clock, a voice rang up the stairs, interrupting... _whatever_ Adrien and Marinette were... _talking_ about at the time.

"Attention, lovebirds!" called Tom. "This is your captain speaking. Please return my daughter to an upright position."

 _"DAD!"_ was the reply from a completely mortified female voice. "You know PERFECTLY WELL that we're not..."

"I know, I know! But I've been waiting fourteen years to be able to tease you like that! I have to take my shots when I can get them," he laughed. "Anyway... Sabine and I have a little surprise for you two."

Marinette looked at Adrien. "Shall we, before he sends up a search party?"

Adrien laughed, "Absolutely."

They came downstairs quickly and found Sabine setting up fresh plates around the dining room table. "Ooooh! Ice cream cake!" cooed Marinette.

"It's not Andre's, or anything... but I ran down to the store and got a little something to celebrate," she explained. "Care for some?"

"I'd love that, Mrs. Cheng," Adrien replied, then smiled when he got a look from her. "Sabine. I know, force of habit," he corrected himself, as he pulled a chair out for Marinette.

"Such a gentleman!" Marinette admired, as she sat down in his offered seat. "I knew I liked you."

"Good!" he grinned. "That'll save a lot of time."

* * *

Gabriel dug frantically through his notes and research on the digital copy of the Guardians' book, grumbling in frustration. There were a few cryptic hints, here and there, with some references to bizarre ingredients for one concoction or another. _Branch from the dragon king's garden? A secret kept in a shell? Dancing ant honeydew? Preposterous!_ Gabriel thought. _Why can't ancient prophecies and magic potion recipes be in plain language for once?_

 _But I've found nothing that'll help right now. It simply MUST be in here somewhere!_ he thought, mentally willing the answer to appear in the book's pages. _One or both of their lives might hang in the balance... or someone else entirely's life might._

* * *

Marinette, her parents and Adrien dove into their dessert, eagerly, exchanging light chatter.

"Cookie roses, hmmm?" mused Sabine. "I love the idea! We may just have to keep you around longer, Adrien."

"I'll show mine to you later, Mom!" beamed Marinette. "It might be the most romantic thing anyone's ever given me."

"Oh, you didn't eat it?" teased Tom.

"EAT it? I may have it framed!" Marinette gushed. "Oh... we'll probably eat it at some point, but I need _so many_ pictures of it first."

"I'm very glad you liked it," smiled Adrien. "I was thinking of you today, and the thought just popped into my head."

"Speaking of keeping you around longer, Adrien," Tom added, "Have you heard from your father at all? Or tried to reach him?"

"I haven't, yet," Adrien admitted. "But I did get a message from him today... or, rather, Marinette did."

"You DID?" Both parents turned to look at Marinette. "How did THAT happen?" Sabine asked her.

"Well..." Marinette told the story of her conversation with Ms. Bustier, then of her later walk with Adrien's father and the message he'd given her to pass on to him. "As much as I'd LIKE to keep you here forever, Adrien..." she smiled, turning to face him, "he seemed quite sincere about needing you at home."

"I know," said Adrien, somberly. "That did sink in quite a bit. I may call him tomorrow, and see what he has to say about me. As for you," he added, reaching out to take Marinette's right hand with his left, "you went above and beyond trying to help the two of us, and it's appreciated so very much."

"That's my girl," smiled Sabine. "Can I take your plate, Adrien?" she asked, seeing that he'd finished his ice cream.

"Certainly," he said. He reached down, picked up the plate and handed it across the table to her -

*SNAP!*

* * *

"Ow!" cried Sabine, holding her hand in surprise and pain. The plate fell to the table; luckily, it didn't break, but it made quite a clattering noise.

Marinette jumped out of her chair, startled; she was pale, while Adrien was nearly green. "ARE YOU ALL RIGHT?" he gasped.

"Yes... I'm not sure what happened there," Sabine answered. "It felt like static electricity, but I'm not sure where it came from!"

Tom started to joke about the electricity between the new lovebirds... but stopped, seeing the concern on both their faces. "That was just a little static spark, wasn't it?" he asked, curiously. "Is there something that I should know about?"

Tom looked at Marinette; Marinette looked at Adrien, helplessly.

"I'm fine, I'm fine!" Sabine insisted, rubbing her hand lightly. "It just surprised me, that's all." She picked up the plate again and headed to the kitchen.

"I'm sorry... so sorry... May I be excused?" Adrien asked, and at Tom's nod, went up the stairs to his room.

Marinette rose to follow him, but Tom stopped her with a gesture. "A word, please?" he asked, and she sat back down, her stomach knotting itself. "That wasn't just surprise on your face just then; you were alarmed, like you thought that spark was something more serious. IS there something I need to know?"

 _I can't lie to him... but I can't just tell him, either._ "There... is," she admitted, her eyes watering. "I'll talk with Adrien, and we'll tell you about it together. Okay?"

"All right. We'll discuss this when you're ready... but we _will_ talk," he said, somberly. "Your mother really is all right?"

"As far as I know, yes. I promise," Marinette answered. She went up the stairs, quickly, hoping to console and speak with Adrien... but he wasn't there.

"Tikki... everything just hit the fan, didn't it?" she whispered.

"Perhaps," answered Tikki. "Things certainly just got a lot more complicated."

"Where could Adrien have gone?" Marinette wondered, looking in her own room and not finding him there, either.

"Look at the clock," Tikki said. "I believe the two of you have an appointment in a few minutes?"

"CRAP! That's right," panicked Marinette. "I'd better hurry... Spots on!"

* * *

A young man wearing a black cat costume sat halfway up the Eiffel Tower, hating himself intensely.

 _I can't believe that the draining effect recharged again that quickly, even just a tiny bit! But how STUPID can I be? First Marinette, then Sabine in the same day!_ he screamed internally. _There's no way that I can trust myself around them again. Maybe around anyone._

 _WHAT am I going to do?_

He heard a faint sound by his side, and said "Hello, Ladybug," in a dour voice, without turning his head.

 _Oh, Adrien!_ sighed Ladybug to herself, deeply concerned. _That wasn't your fault just then, it really wasn't! I know you didn't mean it, but I can't tell you that until we get home, since Ladybug would have no way of knowing what just happened!_

"Are you okay, Chat Noir?" she said, carefully.

"Not even remotely. But I keep my appointments," he replied, half-heartedly. "I got your message. What do you need from me?"

"I'm... hey," Ladybug said, sitting down beside him. "The first thing I need is for you to know... that I'm not here to try to make you do _anything_ you don't want to, okay? From what my Kwami's told me, we're meant to be partners, but you look like you need a friend more than a partner right now."

"Just don't get too close, okay?" Chat replied. "I seem to break everything I touch today."

"It sounded like you touched the heart of that girl I met earlier," Ladybug said, softly.

"And I might've broken... look, I get what you're doing, but I do need to be alone right now, Ladybug," said Chat. "But I don't want to be rude, either. So what did Papillon tell you? To bring me home, kicking and screaming?"

"A little more than that. He said, and I quote, 'I know what caused your accident, and with Ladybug's assistance, I think I can do it right.' And he gave me a number to reach him if you're agreeable to meeting him, which really surprised me."

The concept hit Chat like a shovel to the face; he turned and stared. "He wants to do the invocation... RIGHT? Haven't I done _enough_ damage already? And you're okay with this, Ladybug?"

She held her hands up, defensively. "I don't know _what_ I am okay with, yet. That's why I came to you first, instead of to him. You, I'm sure I can trust."

"Why?" The question was simple, but sincere.

"I can't tell you how I know... yet... but I know."

"Did he tell you what the COST of that invocation would be?" asked Chat, glaring at her...

* * *

Ladybug covered her mouth with her hands. "Oh, my GOSH!" she gasped. "Does Papillon have any idea what that tradeoff would be?"

"I have no idea. We didn't exactly talk about Miraculouses before I stole one and nearly killed his assistant." He lowered his head, feeling ashamed. "And the thing is, I _do_ want what he wants. So badly that I can taste it! But now that I know the implications... there's no way that I can ever do that."

"I agree," she replied. "That's far too great a risk to be part of. So what would you want me to do, Chat?"

Chat considered what she was asking. _One more person in my life who seems genuinely good at heart... who's trying to get closer to the wrong guy._

"You've already done it," said Chat, standing up. "You needed to get a message to me, and you have. You needed to know what it implied, and now you do. You wanted to be a friend of mine... and it sounds like you are. I do thank you for that, Ladybug."

"Wait!" Ladybug called, seeing that he appeared to be about to leave. "When I need to get in contact with you again, what should I do? Can I send word through that girl... Marinette?"

Chat stiffened, thinking for a moment... then replied, "No. But I'm sure you can find me," and leapt away.

* * *

Ladybug sat still for a few minutes, stunned.

 _No?_

 _Why not?_

 _Secret identity concerns? He doesn't want Ladybug to know where he's staying, or with whom? He doesn't want more superpeople in my family's lives, or to potentially put them at risk? Does he just not know Ladybug well enough yet?_

 _And as for him and Papillon... oh, boy. I think I just put an even bigger barrier between them than before! If Papillon doesn't know what the cost of a Miraculous wish would be, he needs to know, pronto. But if he DOES know, and wants to attempt it anyway...!_

She spent a few minutes pondering how to respond to that, until a thought hit her like a lightning bolt...

 _AGGGH! If Chat Noir goes to my house now... he won't find Marinette there!_

In a flash, she swung home as quickly as her yo-yo could take her.

* * *

Marinette knocked on Adrien's closed door, lightly. "Adrien?" she called. "Please open the door. I need to talk to you."

There was no audible response.

"You're not in big trouble. We just need to explain more of the situation to them. I'll be right there with you, I promise."

Still nothing.

"Adrien? Will you talk to me, please?"

Marinette opened the door...

...and found the room empty. What belongings Adrien had brought with him or purchased appeared to be gone. She looked in the dresser drawers - all empty.

Quickly, she ran downstairs and found her father. "Have you seen Adrien since... what happened, happened? You didn't _throw him out,_ did you?" she begged.

"Of course not! I think we all need to talk, but I'm more confused than angry. I wouldn't just... wait. Why?" Tom asked.

"His things are all gone from his room!" Marinette answered. "He's not down here somewhere?"

"Not that I've seen!" said Sabine. "And we were right here in the living room, he couldn't have gone out the front door without us seeing him!"

The trio searched the house, rapidly, and found no sign of Adrien or his belongings. When she got back to her room, Marinette looked in the closet, under the bed... then froze in place when she saw a sheet of paper on her pillow, torn from one of her notepads.

 _Adrien, NO! You wouldn't have... you didn't..._

* * *

Marinette read from it, quickly... then sank to her knees on the floor. Sabine took the note from her hand, and read:

. The three of you were beyond kind to me in my time of need, and I will always

. be grateful for that. I owe you more than I can imagine, and it touched me

. to be part of your family even for a short time. Which is why I cannot stay...

.

. There is something wrong with me that is dangerous to those around me.

. What happened today - both times - proved that I can't control it, and I

. will not put any of you at risk. You all mean too much to me for that.

.

. Sabine and Tom, I hope that you can forgive me. I never put you or your

. daughter in any danger deliberately, but doing so even by accident is

. too much. I hope your hand feels okay, Sabine, and I'm so sorry.

.

. Marinette...

. This is so hard for me to write. Meeting you was like feeling real sunshine

. for the first time in my life. You are too sweet and caring to not want to

. stay close to me; you are far too wonderful and amazing for me to let you

. put yourself at risk like that. If I can ever figure this out and get rid of it,

. maybe I can earn your trust again. This time for real.

.

. Adrien

The room was silent as Sabine handed the note to Tom, except for the choked sound of a young woman trying hard to hold back tears.

* * *

Next time:

* Marinette comes clean with her parents.

* Ladybug goes on the hunt.

* Plagg and Adrien debate what few options they have left.

* Gabriel and Nathalie wonder what can be done.

* The phone rings...


	12. Intertwining Melodies

Let's Take It From The Top, Chapter 12: Intertwining Melodies

* * *

Tom and Sabine stood back a few paces, giving their daughter room to let out the emotions that she needed to.

"I can't believe he just DID that!" Marinette sniffled. "He _knows_ that he can't get through this alone!"

Her parents looked at each other, with worried eyes. "Marinette, honey?" her mother asked. "We'll help you however we can, but-"

Marinette closed her eyes. "Tikki... SPOTS-"

"HOLD IT!" Tom yelled, stopping her from transforming and trying to chase Adrien down immediately. "Marinette, we have to talk about this before you go running off! We're not angry at you, _or_ at Adrien! But we need to know what 'this' is before we can be of any real help."

"I know," replied Marinette, resignedly. "Sit down, please. And, Tikki, I don't want an argument about this; I think Adrien just used up his let's-keep-this-secret-for-now card."

The tiny red Kwami floated out next to Marinette, not looking particularly happy. "I have to agree, Marinette. I do like Adrien very much... but it's time."

* * *

With a sinking heart, Marinette began, "Okay. First off, Dad... _of course_ you were right at the beginning; Adrien is Chat Noir, the feline superhero. He got his powers the same way I did, through a Miraculous and its Kwami. You had one extra houseguest that you didn't know about, Adrien's Kwami, and that's why cheese kept disappearing from our fridge while Adrien was here."

"Heh! Always nice to know when my instincts are good," smiled Tom. "And I do understand why you didn't just tell me that up front... But there's something else, even bigger than that going on here."

"There is. Okay... as Ladybug, I have a hidden power of Creation, called Lucky Charm. Chat Noir's is of Destruction..."

She gave them the full story on how Adrien obtained his Miraculous, the accident, and how his Cataclysm power was slowly becoming more erratic. Sabine and Tom's eyes went wide as Marinette described the implications of the wish, what Adrien had wanted to do with it... and what his father wanted to do with it now.

"The... 'shock' Adrien gave you was less than the one I got by accident, about two hours before. He didn't mean either one of them, I know it! But now he thinks he's too dangerous to be around us, so now he's run off from here AND he won't go home!" lamented Marinette. "I have no idea on Earth where he's going to go, and I don't think he does, either."

"So when you two came out of the back of the bakery earlier... you'd just been... oh!" replied Tom, with a curious expression that drew a questioning look from the others. "Marinette, you came out of that back room with Adrien with wobbly legs and a huge grin. I wasn't sure quite WHAT went on in there, but I didn't know that I wanted to!"

"DAD!" Marinette blushed as red as she'd ever glowed in her life. "I'm only FOURTEEN!"

Sabine glared at him, but couldn't suppress her own laughter. "Now that _that's_ settled..."

"That's about the only thing that's settled, it sounds like," noted Tom. "And I have to say that while I do understand it better now... part of me is _very_ disappointed in the both of you, Marinette. If this magic thing with Adrien really is dangerous, there is _no excuse_ for not letting us know that it was under our roof! You and your mother weren't hurt badly today... but from what you're telling me, you could've been."

Marinette's face changed quickly from embarrassment to crashing sadness. "I know, Dad, and I'm so sorry," she said, just above a whisper. "It won't ever happen again."

"But the main thing is, let's learn from this and move forwards, okay? When you get him to come back, we'll figure out if he even wants to stay here again, and how we'll handle it whether he does or not," Tom continued.

That caught Marinette off-guard. "You'd... consider letting him stay with us, after _this?"_

"What else am I going to do, leave him out on the street somewhere?" snorted Tom. "That's crazy talk."

"We'll figure that out when we get that far, Marinette," soothed her mother. "This thing with Adrien's hand... how does it get fixed?"

She hesitated before answering, "I don't know, Mom. _He_ doesn't know, either. I don't know if it can be."

Marinette turned and looked at Tikki, who looked nervous. "Is there anything that YOU can tell us about that?" she asked Tikki.

* * *

"I wish I could," Tikki evaded. "I don't know much about that combination of Miraculouses, and neither did Plagg. That's Adrien's Kwami's name," she explained to Marinette's parents, "the little cheese glutton."

"I've met him," Marinette smiled, weakly. "He grows on you. At least I think he does. But if PLAGG doesn't know... who would know more about Miraculouses than you or him?"

She watched Tikki's face, seeing the Kwami not really wanting to answer that, and an idea came to her. "Wait a minute... _this_ is something we've never really discussed, is it, Tikki? Ladybug's powers come from you, and you come from the Miraculous. But if Chat Noir didn't leave the Miraculous here, and we're all pretty sure that he didn't..."

"...Who put THAT in Marinette's room, and how? Who was it who decided that Marinette should have it?" Sabine finished the thought. "Tikki, can you tell us that?"

Three sets of eyes followed Tikki, as she fluttered back and forth. "Right now... I'm not sure if I can."

"Can, or should?" Marinette asked, with a raised eyebrow.

"Should," smiled Tikki. _Can't slip much by her!_ "You are an exceptionally clever host of mine, Marinette, and I don't doubt that given time, there's very little that I _could_ hide from you. But for now, let me just say that throughout history, the person chosen to have a Miraculous does _not_ know who their benefactor is, unless it is of truly dire importance. The fewer people who know that person's identity, the safer he or she is."

 _Master Fu's going to have to be VERY careful around this one,_ mused Tikki. _Between his healing session with her today and his showing up at the bakery just as I was discovered, Marinette may put two and two together faster that he realizes._

"Fair enough," said Marinette, her eyes narrowing. "But... might that person know how to fix Adrien's powers?"

"Perhaps. I don't want to get your hopes up without knowing more about this," Tikki replied. "But that involves getting the two of them together, and Adrien running off complicates that quite a bit..."

* * *

"Claws in."

In a white flash, Chat Noir was Adrien Agreste once more. Plagg looked around and smirked, "Well, at least we know you don't have a fear of heights."

Adrien replied, "This isn't where I plan on staying for long... but I'm running out of places that I can go where I know I won't be found. The roof of Montparnasse Tower doesn't get a lot of visitors, for obvious reasons."

"It's no wonder! If you fell off the side and didn't transform, you might end up like a gooey pile of Camembert," quipped Plagg.

"I'll try not to," said Adrien. "I don't know what else to do right now. I can't go home, if my father intends on misusing this Miraculous... but I can't stay with the Dupain-Chengs, after I zapped two of them in one day! If I can't control my Cataclysm, something terrible will happen sooner or later, and I can't let it happen to them."

Plagg hesitated before replying, "Leaving like that might've hurt Marinette more than the Cataclysm did."

"You don't think I know that?" snapped Adrien, with pain in his voice. "But if I'm around her, I am literally putting her life in danger. She's smart enough to realize that."

"And...?"

"And stubborn and caring enough to chase me down," he smiled. "The wrong thing for the right reasons."

Plagg just stared at him. "AND...? I'd say that you've got a girlfriend now, wouldn't you? You can play 'Oh, woe is me, I am alone in the world' with me all you want, 'cause I know I'm just not gonna listen to you. But if you just disappear from her life, you're going to regret it like you wouldn't believe. You've got a phone; use it. You might be surprised how much help she can be, and you're going to want at least one friendly voice in your ear while you're sleeping on rooftops."

"Yeah... I know. That's actually really good advice, Plagg," Adrien conceded.

"Of course it's good advice! I didn't just fall off a turnip truck, y'know," Plagg chided him. "Over a few thousand years, you pick up a few things."

* * *

Nathalie looked up, wearily and hungrily, as Gabriel reentered her room. "Any luck?" she asked, in a weak voice.

"Perhaps," he frowned. "Not much. I have some cryptic references to a stopgap measure, but its ingredients are... bizarre. I wanted 'epsom salts and cold compresses' and I found 'eye of newt and tear of joy.' How are you holding up for now?"

"Not well," Nathalie replied. "I can tell that it's getting stronger. I'm trying to sleep, but it just keeps gnawing at me."

"I see... I will be back shortly; I am going to try a local Chinese shop and see if they can make heads or tails of these ingredients, or if they have anything else that might help energize you," reassured Gabriel. "I don't usually give a lot of credence to ancient remedies and new age woo... but I don't usually have an assistant with a magical illness, either."

"What about the Jacobson contract? You've been negotiating that for weeks," protested Nathalie. "I know you wanted to work on that tonight..."

"Despite appearances, this is not a two-person operation here. I will delegate someone to represent me there. Besides, who else could I send to fetch a remedy? Could you imagine our bodyguard attempting to explain what we need?" ventured Gabriel.

Nathalie pictured the hefty bodyguard attempting to mime a request for 'dancing ant honeydew' to elderly Chinese proprietors, and even she had to laugh. "Yeah, that's not going to work. Okay... thank you, then. If you think of anything, I'll be here."

 _Or I'll just run down to the local cafe for a... snack,_ she thought, grimly.

* * *

"So what should we do?" wondered Sabine. "Marinette, do you have any ideas?"

She nodded, and started typing. "First off... let's see if he's answering his phone. If he'll TELL me where he went, that'll save a lot of time."

 **[Marinette] Congratulations! You've had a girlfriend for less than a day and already made her want to cry. :(**

Sabine took a peek at what Marinette was typing, and winced. "Don't be too hard on him, dear. He did what he did for what he thought were the right reasons, and I really don't think he _wanted_ to leave you. He certainly wasn't breaking up with you like that!"

"I know," she sniffled. "But that doesn't make it much easier."

She waited for a few minutes - _you'd BETTER answer that, Mister_ , she thought - and, soon, her phone buzzed.

 **[Adrien] I totally deserve that. You don't. I am so, so sorry for what happened.**

 **[Marinette] For something that wasn't your fault, or for running away again without even a goodbye?**

 **[Adrien] ...Both?**

 **[Adrien] Marinette, if you had asked me to stay, face to face, I couldn't have refused you.**

 **[Adrien] That's why I couldn't be there to let you ask.** **I cannot put you or your family in deadly danger.**

 **[Marinette] Let's test that theory, then.**

 **[Marinette] Your girlfriend is _officially_ asking you... please come home to her and let's talk this out!**

 **[Marinette] My mom and dad aren't angry at you; they're more concerned than anything else.**

* * *

Adrien stared at his phone, his face burning. "Plagg, buddy?" he asked. "Please help me figure this out."

Plagg floated over, dutifully, and read the text message thread. "Looks to me like you have three choices," he said. "You can go home, and it's hard to say what your father will say or do, though you know how much he wants you there. Whether you want to bring ME there is another issue, after what Ladybug told you... but I have no idea what giving me to someone else while your powers are screwed up would do to you! Choice two is a cold night on a rooftop."

"Neither one sounds very promising," Adrien admitted.

"And choice three... is to go hang out with your pretty new girlfriend and keep your hands to yourself. At least one hand, anyway," Plagg grinned. "I know which one sounds better to me."

 **[Marinette] Please, Adrien?**

"And if I touch her like that by accident, and I Cataclysm her again? This time, far worse?" asked Adrien, wavering.

"You've 'fed' twice today. Your tank is about as full as it's going to get, I'd bet," offered Plagg.

 **[Marinette] I'm making my eyes really big and biting my lip right now. Pleeeease?**

Adrien looked at his phone, then back at Plagg. Plagg just shrugged.

* * *

"Come on... come _onnnnn..._ " Marinette muttered, willing Adrien to respond...

 **[Adrien] I'm sorry. I do want to... you cannot believe how much I WANT TO...**

 **[Adrien] I need more time to think this through.**

"Nnnnggh!" grunted Marinette, in frustration. "He 'needs time to think.' No, he needs a roof over his head!"

"You think he's out in the open, on a night like this?" wondered Sabine. "It's already chilly out, and it's supposed to rain overnight!"

"He's done it before. The first night he came here, I found him on my balcony," Marinette replied. "That was the night that we didn't know how he got there."

She looked pointedly at her father, who sighed. "Somehow I know what's coming next. You will be careful?" he responded.

"Of course I will," answered Marinette. "I promise. Tikki... spots on!"

"It'll take me a while to get used to that,"" said Sabine, shielding her eyes from the transformation flash.

Ladybug grinned. "Trust me, I'll be back soon. The scariest thing out there tonight will be me."

* * *

Gabriel grumbled to himself as he approached the third shop of the night. _This is a complete wild goose chase, I'm sure... but I'll feel terrible if I don't give it my all, for Nathalie's sake. And for Adrien's, if he would ever come HOME, blast it!_

 _At least I haven't seen any headlines about_ _"Mysterious stalker puts Parisian in coma" or "Catboy rampages through_ _Montmartre,"_ he thought. _Perhaps that means that Adrien has found some way to keep his side of this malady under control... for now._

The manager at the first shop, a general Chinese grocery, had looked at Gabriel like he was half-crazy when he saw Gabriel's page scans and proposed shopping list. "You'd have to try an herbalist; even the ingredients that I can decipher aren't anything we'd carry here," he'd said. "Maybe if it was five hundred years ago."

The second attempt was at a more obscure shop that the first clerk had recommended. Once again, the proprietor took one look at the scanned pages and mumbled something about "fairy tales." It took some fast talking for Gabriel not to get thrown out entirely, making up a story about his son's science project and extra credit and are you SURE you don't have anything like this?

"Only one guy I know that MIGHT have some of this stuff," the owner had grunted. "Try Fu Wang's. He's more of a therapist than a reseller, but he knows more about obscure herbs and plants than anyone else I've ever met."

So now, Gabriel stood at the front door of what looked to be a massage studio... _Not THAT kind of studio, I certainly hope,_ he chuckled to himself.

He rang the bell... and the door was answered by a small Chinese man, wearing a Hawaiian shirt and a curious expression. The two sized each other up, carefully.

"May I help you? No appointments scheduled tonight," Master Fu said.

"I'm hoping that you can," Gabriel replied. "I have some odd and obscure herbs I am trying to track down for a... project of mine. I was referred to you by Qiang Li, who said you were the most knowledgeable in Paris of such things. 'No one else in France would have even heard of half of them,' he told me."

Fu cocked his head, his curiosity piqued. "Come in, please. Tell me more of these herbs?"

* * *

Ladybug swung across Paris as quickly as she could, well aware of the difficulty of her task. _Paris is huge, and I'm searching for a blonde needle in a haystack,_ she thought. _If I was Chat Noir, where would I go?_

 _What's his best asset? Besides those eyes,_ she smiled. _His mobility. With his leaping and climbing abilities, he can reach places that no one else outside of me can go. So if he wants to avoid being found, and he's smart about it, he'll go somewhere that fat security guards won't see him. Somewhere... up high, perhaps. Like how when he wanted to meet Ladybug, he picked halfway up the Eiffel Tower to keep eavesdroppers away._

 _Well, that certainly narrows it_ down, Ladybug thought, looking at the Parisian skyline. _There are only, what, thousands and thousands of rooftops to check?_

 _I'll start with the Eiffel Tower as a starting point and circle outwards from there,_ she decided, for lack of a better idea. _Or maybe I'll get lucky and catch him hip-checking a purse-snatcher again._

 _The hardest part, of course, will be not giving him a HUGE EARFUL the moment I find him of WHY AM I NOT PUNCHING YOU RIGHT NOW FOR RUNNING OUT ON YOUR GIRLFRIEND AND MAKING HER WORRY SO MUCH_ _..._

* * *

"Hey," Plagg lectured Adrien. "I just realized something about the rooftops of big office buildings. They're missing something. HEAT."

"I kind of figured that out on my own," grumbled Adrien, shivering a bit. "I didn't buy a blanket when I bought my changes of clothes, because I didn't think I'd have to do this again! And I don't want to transform more than I have to, to save _your_ energy."

"Which I do appreciate, but your clothes bag only has so much insulation," griped Plagg. "So, since we're going with the 'hide' option for now... what's your plan, Adrien?"

"Well, it's something like this. Step 1, figure out what Step 1 is," mumbled Adrien.

Plagg grinned. "That's a heckuva plan, I have to admit. Covers all the bases."

"Oh, shut it."

* * *

Master Fu led Gabriel into his studio, warily. Something about Gabriel set off his radar in a big way, but he couldn't put his finger on it yet. "Have a seat," he instructed his guest. "Explain, please, what it is that you need. You... don't seem the type for such things, if I may say so without seeming rude."

"I am more than a little out of my depth, I'll admit," replied Gabriel. "Ordinarily, I'd be at a pharmacy or a Western doctor's office... but this is a very strange situation that I'm in. Or, rather, that two members of my household are in. They are... well, for lack of a better word, de-energized in a way that food won't satisfy. My research turned up an ancient remedy that might help, but it has ingredients the likes of which I've never heard of."

"Like what, pray tell?" asked Master Fu.

"Dancing ant honeydew? A branch from a dragon king's garden?" Gabriel ventured. "The people I spoke with talked about fairy tales, and perhaps that's exactly what this remedy is. Even if I could track down whatever the components are, I have no illusions that I'm qualified to concoct it."

Gabriel looked at Master Fu's face, which was frozen in utter astonishment. _No one in this century should have even heard of such things,_ Fu thought, _let alone a rich Caucasian fashion designer!_

"I have... some slight familiarity with such things. Would it be possible for me to see where you found this list of ingredients?" Fu asked, mentally weighing his options.

"Certainly." Gabriel fiddled with his handheld tablet, calling up some of the scanned pages from the ancient book, and passed it across to Fu...

* * *

Her phone buzzing distracted Ladybug from her search; she perched atop a lamppost and checked it eagerly, mildly disappointed to see that it was from her mother.

 **[Mom] Any luck, dear?**

 **[Marinette] Not yet. I've covered most of the west side and central Paris, trying north next.**

 **[Marinette] I did get two guys wolf-whistling at me, though. I tried to not yo-yo them into the Seine.**

 **[Mom] Tried as in "didn't," not as in "missed the water," right?**

 **[Marinette] Yes, Mom. 0:-)**

 _While I'm at it, I might as well try this..._ she thought, and sent another message Adrien's way.

 **[Marinette] Can you at least give me a hint where you went? I'll sleep better if I know you're safe and warm.**

A few raindrops began to hit Ladybug, to her immense displeasure.

 **[Marinette] And that you have enough sense to get out of the rain, which I don't, since I'm out looking for you...**

She swung on, heading for the next likely set of tall landmarks.

* * *

Nathalie lay in her bed, curled up in a ball, aching. The hunger was particularly maddening to her because she knew _precisely_ how to ease it... but was horrified by the implications of doing so.

A knock at her door distracted her, briefly. Gabriel's bodyguard stood at the door with a dinner tray in his arms and a questioning look on his face.

"Thank you," she managed, "I do need to eat _something_. That was very sweet of you."

He reached down and sat the tray on her nightstand, and for just a moment, a terrible thought ran through her mind...

 _He's a big guy. I bet he could withstand it. I zapped him once before with this..._

Nathalie reached out -

"NO!" Immediately, she forcefully yanked her hand back to her side, disgusted with her moment of weakness.

The bodyguard recoiled, fearfully... but stood his ground as he saw her apologetic eyes and gauged the level of profound need behind them. The wheels spun in his head for a moment, and he came to a decision. He closed his eyes, gritted his teeth...

...and extended his arm towards her, reaching out, his bare hand about a foot away from her.

Nathalie's eyes went wide.

* * *

Adrien did his best to blot out the outside world: the growing evening chill, the dampness, the first few raindrops sprinkling down around him, the wind whistling by, cars down at street level honking their horns... _Just let me sleep,_ he thought, futilely. _It's not much to ask, is it?_

His phone, however, had other ideas. He picked up, read the incoming messages, and his eyes bugged out.

 **[Adrien] WHY are you out there looking for me in the rain?**

 **[Marinette] Why are you out there IN the rain?**

"She raises a good point," Plagg piped up, only to be shushed again by Adrien.

 **[Adrien] Because I'm so _scared,_ okay? I'm _beyond_ scared.**

 **[Adrien] I'm scared of what's wrong with me. I'm terrified that I'm going to hurt YOU.**

 **[Adrien] Either literally, or that I'll do something terrible by accident that'll make you hate me.**

 **[Adrien] I have never known anyone like you. You are irreplaceable.**

 **[Adrien] And until - unless - what's wrong with me gets fixed, I need to keep my distance.**

There was a pause, for about a minute, and then the rebuttal arrived.

 **[Marinette] And running and hiding from everyone is going to fix that, is it?**

 **[Adrien] It'll keep me from repeating what happened today.**

 **[Marinette] Shhh, you. My turn.**

 **[Marinette] I'm not going to pretend that I can wave a magic wand and fix what's wrong with you.**

 **[Marinette] And, yeah, that DID scare me when my mom and I got zapped today. A lot.**

 **[Marinette] But you know why and how it happens. And I do, too. And, now, so do my parents.**

 **[Marinette] And wasn't THAT a fun little conversation for me to have? But I had to do it.**

 **[Marinette] And they are fine with you coming back for a while. Do you know why that is?**

A pause indicated that she was going to let him get at least one word in edgewise.

 **[Adrien] Honestly? I don't.**

 **[Marinette] Because you are a responsible person. Mistakes happen, and they did. You learn from them.**

 **[Marinette] Because they know that you'll be super careful from now on.**

 **[Marinette] Because they know that whether you're at my house or out on the street, this is happening!**

 **[Marinette] And because YOU AND I CARE ABOUT EACH OTHER, you big goof!**

 **[Marinette] So either go HOME home, or come back to me. But don't hide and wait for disasters to happen.**

 **[Marinette] Let me help you prevent them, or at least manage them, and we'll figure this out TOGETHER.**

 **[Marinette] Deal?**

* * *

For a moment, Master Fu thought to himself, _This is it. My ancient mind has finally snapped. I am hallucinating things._

 _The Book of Guardians' Lore has been lost for over a hundred and fifty years... thought to be destroyed... and a Parisian fashion mogul just handed me digital scans of it on his iPad._

The old man closed his eyes, gathered his willpower, stilled his thoughts, took a very deep breath... and reopened his eyes. The images of Miraculous hosts and ancient runes obstinately persisted in front of him on the device.

 _Well! This is happening, then._

Another thought occurred to him, as he watched Gabriel's face. _Am I in terrible danger right now?_ _This man does not appear to be openly hostile, but he is one of perhaps ten people in the world who appears to know precisely what a Miraculous is. I am wearing one, myself, and am ten meters away from where fifteen more are hidden. Ladybug and Chat Noir are nowhere near to protect me. And the last time I tried to transform, Wayzz did his best, but I threw out my back for a week._

"Do you have the slightest idea of what this represents, what you have just placed before me?" Master Fu asked, cautiously, gauging Gabriel's reaction.

"I have some understanding, yes. Clearly, as you do as well. It seems that I may have come to the right place after all," he replied, evenly, with a hint of a smile.

Recent conversations flickered through Master Fu's head... and, suddenly, much made sense to him. "Would you show it to me? I would like to see it, please," he asked, simply.

Gabriel did not hesitate. He removed his long jacket, moved his tie aside and fiddled with his lapel for a moment, producing a purplish locket that Master Fu recognized instantly. "Nooroo... would you come out, please?" Gabriel asked.

The Kwami floated out of Gabriel's belongings, visibly unsure of how to react. Nooroo's eyes pleaded with Master Fu, _How should I respond to this? Should I acknowledge that I know you?_

Master Fu smiled and nodded at Nooroo, without an ounce of visible surprise. "There are those who would pay millions for knowledge of what you have just revealed to me, Mr. Agreste," he began. Gabriel betrayed no surprise or alarm of his own at being recognized.

"And far more for that locket and for little Nooroo here. Over centuries, people have killed each other for less than this. And yet, you bring this to me as casually as you might offer a cup of oolong tea." Master Fu's eyes locked onto Gabriel's, unbreakably. "Why would you do such a thing, Gabriel?"

"For the sake of my assistant... and of my son."

The old man allowed himself to smile, slightly. "In that case... let us begin."

* * *

Adrien sat and stared at his phone, silently, processing Marinette's logic and her heartfelt pleas.

"I'm never going to win an argument with her in my whole life, am I?" he asked Plagg, wryly.

"Why, were you supposed to?" snickered Plagg.

"Once in a while, it would be nice," said Adrien. He started typing:

 **[Adrien] You win. I just hope that you won't regret this in the end...**

 **[Adrien] I'll head back in a few minutes, once Plagg feels up to transforming again.**

 **[Marinette] Wait. Where are you at right now?**

 **[Adrien] The top of** **Montparnasse Tower. Why?**

 **[Marinette] Just wait there. Trust me. I have friends in high places.**

"Now, what in the world does she mean by that?" muttered Adrien. "Is she going to send a giant eagle, or something? Am I dating Gandalf?"

Adrien gathered up what little he'd unpacked from his travel bag, and waited...

About five minutes later, very light footfalls behind him made him turn, though he shouldn't have been as surprised as he was at her identity; who else in Paris could have come and met him where he was standing at that moment?

"Somebody call for a taxi?" asked Ladybug, grinning from ear to ear.

* * *

Nathalie's hand dangled in mid-air... her temporary salvation inches away from her touch.

 _...But at what cost?_

"I can't..." she gasped, causing the bodyguard's eyes to flicker open. "No! It might kill you!"

He remained still, not sure of what to do next. His "Huh?" grunt was unmistakable.

Nathalie wrestled with her conscience. Her hand, seemingly with a mind of its own, stretched forward again...

* * *

"I must admit to considerable curiosity," Gabriel said, as he watched Master Fu studying the scanned pages with intense concentration. "I have never met a fellow Miraculous host before."

"You think I am not full of questions, as well?" smiled Fu. "A Miraculous is rare beyond belief. Less than two dozen exist in the world! Yet here I stand with a man who possessed _two_ of them." He watched as Wayzz and Nooroo fluttered around the room happily, overjoyed to see each other again. "I would be fascinated to learn of how the Cat, the Moth and the book were found."

 _Particularly since it is comparatively rare for one to change hands without... trouble. Let alone two, including the ridiculously powerful Cat, AND a priceless artifact like the Book of Lore! Are your own hands clean, Gabriel Agreste?_ the old man wondered.

"When this crisis has passed, I will gladly invite you to my home, and you can see the book for yourself," Gabriel replied. "I can show you the research I have gathered and my notes from my trip to Tibet. And what of your own Miraculous? How did such a treasure fall into your hands?"

"A family heirloom! Handed down through my ancestors for centuries. Very difficult to keep secret! So imagine my surprise when I found you at my door just now." Master Fu kept his face enigmatic as he pored over the artwork. "Such an astounding book! I can only translate tiny amounts of it, but even those may move Eastern medicine ahead by generations!"

 _Family heirloom, eh?_ mused Gabriel. _You're quite right that Miraculouses are incredibly rare. And just as my two are revealed, here you are with a third, and the most powerful of them all also appears in Paris, simultaneously? There is more to you than meets the eye, Wang Fu._

"Medicine is precisely why I am here," answered Gabriel, submerging his thoughts of potential intrigue beneath pure necessity. "Are you finding anything that can reverse this... magical hunger, I suppose it could be called?"

"Reverse... no. Not without seeing either of them up close and testing some reactions, at least," Fu muttered. "But I think I may be able to ease the symptom you're describing, somewhat... like aspirin for a headache, you see? Something to dull the ache, but it won't cure the underlying problem by itself."

"Would it help if I brought Nathalie here to see you?" Gabriel perked up at Fu's words. "She's quite weak at the moment, but with the promise of possible relief..."

"Do not stress her unnecessarily," cautioned Fu. "It will take me about an hour to formulate this. When it's ready, take it to her and have her test it out; if she reacts well to it, then she may be strong enough to come here. If she does not... we'll try something else."

* * *

"LADYBUG?" Adrien boggled. "What are you doing here?"

"A favor for a friend," answered Ladybug. "Marinette told me that someone special might need to hitch a ride back to her house. So... how did you get UP here, anyway?"

"It's... a long story," gulped Adrien.

Inside, Ladybug giggled. _Marinette knows that Adrien is Chat Noir... but Ladybug shouldn't, yet!_

"Normally, I'd have all night for stories... but it feels like it's about to start pouring any time now. Do you want to get going, before it does?" Ladybug asked him.

"Sure! Let me make sure I've got all my stuff..." Adrien checked his travel bag, making sure that Plagg was still tucked away inside it. "Can you believe this, Plagg?" he whispered.

Plagg just looked at him. "Yeah, somehow I can," he grinned. _He has no idea! He's got a heart like a whale, but the perception of a traffic cone sometimes._

Adrien came back to Ladybug with his bag in hand and said, "All set! Now, just how are you... whoa!" He couldn't help but laugh when Ladybug scooped him up with one arm, putting his left arm over her shoulders and lifting him with her right arm around his waist. "Wow, you're strong!"

"Oh, I've been working out lately," she smiled. "Now, hold on tight!"

The pair started their journey back to Marinette's house via Yo-Yo Express.

* * *

"This should be it. I hope."

Master Fu presented Gabriel with a small bottle, filled with a strangely aromatic liquid. Gabriel looked at it with some wonder, watching the swirling elixir inside... it seemed to shift in color, all on its own, as if somewhere between green and purple and yellow was a real color that could exist.

"Start her on about two spoonfuls of this every two hours. If she's improving, continue. If not, call me and I will advise you," Fu instructed him. "And be careful with it! Two of the ingredients are exceptionally hard to find. I may not be able to get more for days... perhaps weeks. Perhaps more than that. And if your son should reappear, contact me immediately! He may well be the key to finding the real solution to this."

"You have my sincere gratitude, Mr. Wang. I pray that it does help." Gabriel pulled out his phone and dialed Nathalie's number... and got no answer.

"Hmmph! Perhaps she's napping, at last." Gabriel dialed his bodyguard, instead, and soon a somewhat simian visage filled his cell phone screen.

Fu eavesdropped on the call without really meaning to, and his face fell as Gabriel's did.

"Gone?" Gabriel glared. "What can you possibly mean, she's _gone?_ She's _left the house?"_

* * *

Next time:

* Air Ladrien... the only way to travel.

* The Dreadnaught walks again.

* "If we're going to cause a scandal... we might as well go big."

* "Needs a little garlic..."

* "I'm so sorry..."


	13. A Building Crescendo

Let's Take It From The Top, Chapter 13: A Building Crescendo

* * *

Adrien Agreste clutched Ladybug tightly as she carried him across the rooftops of Paris. If he didn't want to either transform or drop like a stone, he didn't have a lot of choice in the matter... but he wasn't really complaining, either.

 _I don't know Ladybug all that well, either as myself or as Chat Noir,_ he thought, _but there's something so genuine about her. She seems to really want to help me, and it's sweet that she's helping Marinette as well. I knew they'd met each other, but I didn't know they'd gotten particularly close..._

"So, Ladybug..." he began. "Obviously, you must be getting to know Marinette pretty well. How did you know that she needed your help?"

 _Oh, here we go,_ Ladybug smiled to herself. _If I want to keep my identity secret, which Tikki says that I should for now, I'd better be careful... and keep it as simple as I can. I don't want to have to keep a complicated story straight!_

"She texted me," said Ladybug. "It's a great, modern invention! You should try it."

"Oh?" Adrien looked surprised. "Does she know you when you're out of costume?"

"It's hard to say if she KNOWS..." evaded Ladybug. _In fact, so hard that it'd give everything away!_ "I gave her the number of a burner phone I keep around, in case of emergencies."

"Nice," admired Adrien. "Can I get that number, too?"

"Hey!" Ladybug admonished him, playfully. "You have a girlfriend now, remember?"

"Oh! I didn't mean it like THAT!" Adrien blushed. "Of course I have a... she _told_ you that?"

"Of course she did!" Ladybug laughed. "Honey, she's happy enough that it came bubbling right out of her! She may be out telling strangers at the bus stop right now."

"Good," smiled Adrien. "I want _so much_ to make her happy. She's been so good to me."

Ladybug tried to keep her face from matching her costume's base color. "Well, then, maybe don't run off like this and make her worry her head off?" she chided him.

"I'll try to remember that." Adrien thought for a moment. "What else has she told you about me?"

"Oh... not THAT much. We don't sit up all night and gossip," offered Ladybug. "Enough that I know who you are, and I can tell that she chose very well! I think you two will make a great couple."

 _Heh,_ Adrien thought. _I know I've been a little careless with my secret identity, but I guess Ladybug doesn't know yet or she'd have at least hinted at that. For now, I'll make sure that Marinette knows not to tell her. At least there's SOMEONE in Paris who doesn't know my secret!_

* * *

Nathalie Sancoeur drove as fast as she dared, steering away from the Agreste mansion, needing to put some distance between her and what she had nearly just done.

 _I can't go much further..._ moaned Nathalie to herself. _This hunger is CONSUMING me. In fact..._

Quickly, she pulled her car over to the side of the road, got out and started running instead. _My concentration is so shot that if I keep driving, I'm going to kill someone._

 _So, what the heck AM I doing, anyway?_ she wondered. _I had to get away from the house, or I would've... that was so selfless of our bodyguard to offer himself to me like that! And so impossible for me to accept... But now that I'm safely out of his reach, what... am I looking for, exactly?_

 _I feel like I'm going to die if I don't drain SOMEONE. But how do I do that and not kill them in the process?_

She stumbled off into the evening, looking for an answer - ANY answer - to throw itself in her path.

* * *

Not too far away, a young couple debated how to spend their Friday evening together.

"What do you think, Mylenè?" Ivan asked her. "We could either just hang out here, or Juleka and Rose said they wouldn't mind company on her mother's boat tonight, or Mecha Monkey vs. Cyber Shark 3 is playing down at the theater..."

"How romantic!" cooed Mylenè, playfully. "Every girl's heart leaps at the thought of a romantic night out with a mecha monkey."

"AND a cyber shark!" laughed Ivan. "For the third time! They each won once in a previous movie, so this one's the rubber match. We totally don't have to do that tonight, though. We can go for a walk together, or something..."

"Hmmm," smiled Mylenè. "You really like your movie monsters, don't you? The bigger, the better?"

"Like you wouldn't believe," Ivan confirmed. "It's encoded into Guy DNA. Mylenè... why are you grinning at me like that?"

"Let me ask you something, honey. If I shared a completely ridiculous secret with you... could you keep it to yourself?" Mylenè asked him. "Something wonderful and amazing, but completely unbelievable at the same time?"

"Um..." Ivan pondered. "I... guess so?"

"C'mon," Mylenè gestured. "If I'm going to do this, I'll do it outside. I don't want to chance messing up your room or busting your ceiling."

Ivan followed her, his head spinning. _Busting my ceiling? Just who and what am I dating now, anyway? They say that it's the quiet ones you have to watch..._

* * *

Master Fu approached Gabriel carefully, once Gabriel had hung up his phone. "Gone, you say?" he inquired.

"Yes," Gabriel hissed. "My bodyguard was attending to her, and says that she was consumed by fear and dread... he even 'offered himself as a temporary salvation, but she vehemently declined to partake of his offer, and she then dashed out as if the devil himself was on her heels.'"

"Hmmph," mused Fu. "Your bodyguard has quite a way with words."

"Indeed," muttered Gabriel. "But that doesn't change the situation! We now have TWO affected people on the loose, putting all of Paris in danger!"

"For what it's worth, Gabriel... your son is likely far less of a threat than your assistant is. If he has the Black Cat Miraculous, he has its Kwami to guide him, and while that Kwami is not always the most... intellectual, he's seen such a state before." Master Fu rubbed his chin, thoughtfully. "And while he is keeping his own counsel for now, you've spoken well of your son's sense of compassion, yes?"

"He has much of his mother in him. Sometimes too much," sighed Gabriel. "And, yes, he wouldn't hurt a fly, at least intentionally."

 _That's interesting..._ thought Gabriel. _This man has knowledge of the Black Cat and familiarity with its Kwami. I wonder how he obtained that?_

"Then we should focus on recovering Nathalie." Fu thought about it, then asked, "You have a butterfly that's found a host right now, yes? That person might be our best hope for finding someone important to us - whether that's Nathalie, your son, or Ladybug."

"Ladybug?" Gabriel wondered. "She's not affected by the Cataclysm effect... is she?"

"No, but her powers of purification may help. She's a friendly contact for Chat Noir, and therefore for your son. And..." _No, I won't mention that. I'm sure that he is aware of the Ladybug-Cat interaction - that's what got his son into this mess to begin with - but best not to discuss it as a possibility._

Gabriel noted his hesitation, but chose to let it lie. "Let me see if my host is active, then. Nooroo... spread your wings!"

* * *

Ladybug pondered the situation as she continued towards her house. _This is a little awkward,_ she thought. _I want to talk to him about WHY he ran off, and I did talk to him as Chat Noir before he did it! But as far as he knows, Ladybug doesn't know Chat is Adrien, so I can't bring it up right now._

"Are you going to be okay when you get back to Marinette's?" she ventured, cautiously. "Like, are you going to stay there this time? That hit her pretty hard when she found out you were gone."

"I... well, let me put it this way. If they'll have me, I'll stay a little longer... but I do need to figure out my exit strategy. For going home to my _real_ home, I mean, not for Marinette! That, I hope, is for keeps." He smiled at Ladybug's sudden grin, and continued. "The thing that's wrong with me is dangerous no matter where I am, so while I want to spend as much time with her as I can, and her parents are just great people... I can't put them in danger. And one way or another, I do belong with my father."

"Do you want to talk about what's wrong with you? You don't have to if you don't want to," Ladybug offered. _There! I opened the door. It's up to him if he wants to walk through it._

Adrien looked at her, clearly reluctant. "If I do... I'll be giving something away that I probably shouldn't. But I don't know that that matters any more..."

Her eyes were probing, looking for the right line of questioning to take. "Why is that?"

"It's hard to explain. Explaining it would give away what it is that I'm trying to hide. I'm sorry to be so difficult," Adrien responded.

"It's fine, Adrien. I just want to help however I can, _if_ I can. If you ever do need to talk, you reach out, okay? However is convenient for you," she said.

"Easy for you to say. I asked for that phone number, and you shot that down!" he laughed. "How can I reach you?"

"How about this?" Ladybug gave him a warm look. "As you can tell by where you are right now, you're dating someone who knows me. Have her pass the word along."

"I'll do that," smiled Adrien.

* * *

Master Fu marveled at the revealed Papillon. "Pardon me if I stare," he said. "I have not seen this particular transformation before." _At least not since... what, 1883, I think it was?_

"I hope it is not too ostentatious," smiled Gabriel. "It would be ironic for someone like me to have an unfashionable costume, would it not?"

"Quite," the old man grinned. "Your sense of style is inarguable. Do you sense anything?"

Gabriel furrowed his brow momentarily and concentrated, then shook his head. "Not at this moment, but I will check back at intervals. Is there anything that I can do to signal a butterfly host, either as myself or as Papillon?"

"If you concentrate hard as Papillon and call out, the host might feel a tingle; the magic of the butterfly is still inside them, until its energy is used up," counseled Master Fu. "It's worth a try."

 _And you know the Moth as well, obviously. And yet I'm the one with the book of lore, and who uncovered two Miraculouses after they'd been lost for decades... Wang Fu, just who ARE you, anyway?_ mused Gabriel.

"Indeed, it is. Let's see..." Papillon gathered his thoughts and sent out a mental beacon. _Mylenè? This is Papillon. Are you listening tonight?_

* * *

 _Nothing... left._

Nathalie could not walk another step. She slumped over onto a streetside bench and curled up in a ball, in internal agony.

 _I will have to call Gabriel... and tell him where I am... once I figure out where I am... and what he can do when he finds me._

She closed her eyes and tried to gather enough strength to think, let alone act. _Whatever I do, I'll have to do it soon,_ she thought. _I am running on fumes._

As she drifted into semiconsciousness, her will faded... and her Cataclysmic energies did the opposite.

* * *

The cutest taxi service in all of Paris plopped down on Marinette's balcony, releasing her cargo onto one of the lounge chairs therein.

"Last chance, Mister," smiled Ladybug. "Anything you need to get off your chest or ask before I go?"

"Just... thank you," Adrien replied. "You are very kind to take care of me like this. I'm lucky to know you."

"My pleasure. But maybe meet me somewhere a little warmer and drier next time? And closer to the ground?" Ladybug waved as she moved over to the balcony railing. "I'll go down and let Marinette know you're here, okay? Have a good night."

She flipped over the railing and down to street level, then darted behind her house on the other side. "Spots off!" she whispered, then dashed through the front door as Marinette.

When she reached the second floor, her parents met her with visible relief. "You found him?" Sabine asked.

"Yep, he's up on the balcony. Shall I bring him down for a talk?" replied Marinette.

"When you're ready. I figure you two have some small things to work out between yourselves first," Tom smiled. "We'll be down here."

* * *

Adrien turned towards the balcony hatch as he heard it opening, and watched Marinette climb up to meet him. She stopped a couple of steps away from him, eyeing him up and down.

"For the record..." Marinette began, "I'm still deciding whether I want to cover you in kisses or smack you right now."

"I know which one I'd prefer... but I also know which one I deserve," stammered Adrien. "I'm so sorry, Marinette."

"Start there," she replied, evenly. "Tell me what it is you're sorry for."

"I'm sorry that I ran off without explaining myself or saying goodbye," he began. "I'm sorry that I worried you so much. I'm VERY sorry that I put you and your mother in danger today by being so careless. I don't know how you're forgiving me for that. I'm _not_ sorry that what I did afterwards, I did in order to try to protect you and your family..."

Adrien's eyes watered up. "But I know that I hurt you by doing that. And for that, I apologize most of all."

Marinette stepped forward. "That's a good answer," she said. As she wrapped her arms around Adrien, she whispered in his ear, "Tell me some more good answers."

"I'll try," Adrien said. "What's your next question?"

"How are you going to make all of this up to me?" asked Marinette, snuggling closer. "Be very specific."

"Well, if you MUST know... I do have a few ideas that might interest you..."

* * *

Mylenè grinned at Ivan, as they stood in his backyard. "You are not going to believe this," she smiled. "I..."

Her face went slack, momentarily, as if she was listening to something that Ivan couldn't hear. "Hmmm," she noted. "We might not get to do the date thing tonight after all. The person who gave me what I'm about to show you... I think he's calling me."

Ivan looked quite confused. "I don't get any of this, Mylenè. What is it that's such a big surprise?"

"Just watch," she grinned. "TRANSFORM ME!"

The look on Ivan's face as his girlfriend changed from a short, chubby young woman to a gigantic living statue was priceless.

"WHAT THE HECK?" he yelled up at her. "How... what... I DON'T EVEN! Are you IN THERE, Mylenè?"

"It's still me," the golem replied. "You like?"

"That is AMAZING!" Ivan cried out. "How did this happen? Can I get one?"

"Hang on, honey," she said, seeing Papillon's energy signature flare up on her face. "The boss is calling."

* * *

Papillon grinned, abruptly, as contact was made. "Greetings, Dreadnaught!" he began, with a smile for Fu's benefit. "I hope I have not caught you out at a bad time."

"I'm fine, Papillon," Dreadnaught replied. "In fact, I had just been thinking of transforming anyway, to show my boyfriend what I can do now. I'm guessing you've got something else in mind, though?"

"I do. Again, I am hoping this will go without a fight, but I have a needle-in-a-haystack search for you. Would you be willing to see if you can hunt down some people for me?" asked Papillon.

"Do I have any kind of... senses, or anything, to help me find them?" wondered Dreadnaught.

"Not that I am aware of. Hence, this might not be easy. But, much like before, super-people tend to attract super-people... which may help you with two of them," Papillon noted, "Ladybug and Chat Noir. Be persuasive and gentle with Ladybug; she is an ally and we should keep her that way. If you encounter Chat Noir, try to convince him to follow you to me; if he resists, you might have to simply grab him. I will guide you if that becomes a possibility."

"Okay. I hope I do see Ladybug again; she was really nice! And if I get these hands around Chat Noir, I don't think he's getting loose. Who are the other two?"

"The third is... well, an unusual request." Papillon considered how to phrase this. "There is a young fashion model named Adrien Agreste..."

"ADRIEN?" Dreadnaught gasped, startled. "Sure, I know him! He's in some of my classes in school! Or was, at least, before he disappeared. What would you want with him?" she asked, a little suspiciously.

"That's... somewhat of a long story. Word has reached me that he is missing, and I would like to bring him home if I can. If you encounter him, same protocol as Chat Noir; persuade him if possible, scoop him up if not."

"And the fourth?" the golem asked, a little less sure about this whole operation than before.

"Actually my highest priority at the moment. A woman named Nathalie, who is currently lost in Paris somewhere, and I would desperately like to bring her safely home. She is an acquaintance of Adrien's, so if you find him, he may be interested in and able to help you find her." Papillon gave Dreadnaught a rough description of Nathalie, her clothing and her most recent whereabouts. "The two heroes might be able to help in that search, as well. She is ill, and in need of special care."

From behind him, Master Fu coughed. "Are you going to tell her about the danger inherent in Nathalie and your son?" he said, quietly.

"Of course," Papillon muttered in his direction. _I was getting to that!_ he grumbled, internally. "Be warned; Nathalie has something magical and dangerous possessing her at the moment. Her hands can drain energy at a frightening rate! So if you do find her... keep a little distance. Let me speak with her."

"Sure. So... If I find Ladybug, see if she can help me. If I find Chat Noir or Adrien Agreste, try to talk them into helping me, otherwise scoop them up. If I find this Nathalie woman, be careful and don't get grabby. Have I got it?" asked Dreadnaught.

"Yes. Please be careful, and I am thankful once again for your help." Papillon broke contact for the moment and turned to Master Fu. "I'm not sending a child into a lion's den, am I?" he wondered aloud.

"I certainly hope not... but do not underestimate the damage Cataclysm can do. Your butterfly might protect her to some degree... and it might not," the old man cautioned. "Do not put your young friend in harm's way lightly."

"I don't intend to," said Papillon.

* * *

Two young lovers embraced on Marinette's balcony, stealing a few moments for themselves while they could.

"This has been quite... a day," giggled Marinette, sneaking words in between kisses. "I've become your girlfriend, had our first... fight, and now our first make-up make-out, all... in a matter of hours!"

"Yeah," Adrien replied, "we might... want to... slow that pace a bit."

"It's an... option," she grinned. "Maybe a day or two... where we can just... be us."

"I like that... idea."

Marinette and Adrien slowly returned to a simmer, catching their breath... until Marinette's ringing phone disturbed their bliss.

"It's Alya," Marinette said, looking at it without answering it yet. "I don't know that I should answer that."

"No?" asked Adrien. "Why not?"

"Well, think about it," she said, quickly. "You've been gone without a trace for a week. They've been asking at school if anyone's seen you. No one has. If I answer my phone right now and you're standing right next to me..."

The phone continued to ring. Adrien offered, "Are we keeping this a secret? Us, I mean?"

"I sure hope not! But you know how Girl Talk is; it moves like lightning. If Alya finds out that you're here, or that you've been living here this week, or that we're a couple now, it might be all over town in a flash. Do we need to talk about how to handle any of that?" wondered Marinette. "What if word gets to your father?"

"On the one hand, I definitely get what you're saying," mused Adrien. "On the other hand, if we're going to cause a scandal... we might as well go big."

"What happened to 'slow that pace a bit?'" asked Marinette, with a wry grin.

"Point taken."

"How about this?" she suggested. "I'll stall Alya and play with her expectations a little bit. My parents will want to talk with us soon, anyway. When we're ready, we'll blow some minds."

* * *

At her house, Alya was about to redial Marinette when a text message arrived:

 **[Marinette] Hi, sorry about that. Can't talk long right now...**

 **[Alya] No problem, I was just going to see if you wanted to do anything tonight. What's up?**

 **[Marinette] Oh... I have company. :)**

 **[Alya] Oh? Do tell! Anyone I know?**

 **[Marinette] Mmmmmmaybe.**

 **[Marinette] I'll ping you when I'm alone again, okay?**

 **[Alya] You'd BETTER!**

 _WHAT is that girl up to?_ wondered Alya. _I may have to come bend her ear in person tomorrow and find out..._

* * *

"Do you need any help?" Ivan asked his transformed girlfriend. "I mean, I don't know what I can do, but..."

"Do I look like I need help?" laughed the Dreadnaught. "You're sweet. I'm not expecting any trouble, though. How about this; if you hear anything about Adrien, let me know when I get back."

"I don't expect to, but if I do, I will. Be safe," said Ivan.

"From what Papillon's told me, I could get hit by a truck and not feel it. But I will be careful," she assured him. "A kiss for good luck?"

"You'll have to help me, I can't reach your lips from here."

Mylenè laughed as she lifted Ivan up, then sat him back down and stomped off in the direction Papillon had directed her to try first. _I am a little anxious about Papillon's warning about this Nathalie..._ she thought. _If he told me that she could hurt me, he probably means it! But she wouldn't do that on purpose, would she?_

* * *

Tom and Sabine heard footsteps on the stairs and turned to greet Marinette and Adrien. "Hello, Adrien," called Sabine. "Come in and get comfortable. It's good to have you back here."

"H-hi," Adrien stammered. "Are you feeling okay, Sabine?"

"I'm fine, I promise. I mean, don't try it again on me to make sure," she laughed. "But it startled me more than anything else."

"Everyone is fine, Adrien. But let's sit down and talk this out for a few minutes, okay?" Tom said, beckoning the kids over to the sofa. "No hard feelings from anyone, but we need to be all on the same page here."

Adrien and Marinette sat down together, his left hand in her right. "That's more than fair," Adrien said. "I know that Marinette knows my secrets, and I don't mind sharing them with you two, if you'll promise to keep them between the four of us."

"Scout's honor," Tom said, holding his hand up.

"You were never a Scout," Sabine smirked.

"I didn't say which Scout's honor, did I?" quipped Tom. "Let's start at the beginning. You have something in your right hand that's very dangerous. Where did that come from?"

Adrien began the long story of how he'd ended up in his present situation: his discovery, his Miraculous identity, his accident, his time on the run. Sabine gasped a bit at a few parts, but let him continue. Tom remained stone-faced.

"You poor boy! How long have you been without your mother?" Sabine asked, looking concerned.

"It's been about a year and a half," Adrien replied. "A very long year and a half. My father has been keeping up appearances, but he's taken it hard, I can tell. And now he thinks he's lost me, too."

"All the more reason for you to at least get back in contact with him, Adrien. I don't know how I would react if I was in your shoes; how could I? This is all ten steps past crazy," Tom said. "But I can't imagine that he doesn't need you very much, or that you don't need him."

"I know, and I agree," said Adrien. "I will call him tomorrow... and then I'll figure out if I'm comfortable going home or not. This," he added, holding up his silver ring, "changes things quite a bit."

"How so?" Sabine asked, more than a little curious.

Marinette squirmed a little; it sounded strange to hear Adrien relate his conversation with Ladybug when she was sitting right next to him. She looked at her parents, pleadingly, and was relieved when they betrayed no knowledge of her secret.

"So that's my dilemma," Adrien concluded. "The Cat and the Ladybug together could bring incredible things into the world... but at a huge price. I tried to play with that magic, only half-understanding it, and it caused all of this insanity. The only other person in Paris who understands the magic enough to attempt it is my father... and I don't know that I trust him enough right now to put half of that combination back into his house. But as long as my energies are all messed up, I don't think I can be without it for too long, so I can't give it to someone or hide it and go home without it!"

Adrien's head sank, and he held it with both hands. "And here I thought being a superhero would be fun and games and adventure..."

Tom looked at Adrien carefully, then at his wife and daughter, then back at Adrien. "Son," he said, "you are a fine young man with a very remarkable gift. And I don't mean your Miraculous." He watched Adrien lift his head back up and meet his gaze, and continued, "You have a heart as big as all outdoors, and I see that in everything you do and say. You do realize that that's the main reason why after all of this, you're in my house right now, holding my daughter's hand, with my approval."

"I'm more than a little surprised that I have that approval," Adrien responded.

"I know that you will be more careful around all of us, and let us know when you're feeling like you're dangerous. I don't know what you'd do to FIX that..." puzzled Tom, "and perhaps your father's research will be part of that. One way or another, he's _going_ to be part of your life again. I can't take his place and I'm not going to try to! But as long as you need us... and especially as long as you and Marinette need each other... you will have a place here that you can count on. Just be honest with us, and we'll do the same."

"I... promise," said Adrien, a bit choked up. "Thank you so much."

* * *

As the Dreadnaught, Mylenè stomped through a handful of neighborhoods, moving in the direction Papillon had suggested. It was slow going, and nothing out of the ordinary besides herself was immediately forthcoming.

Of course, her presence alone was enough to wake up the locals... Cars skidded away from her, pedestrians ran screaming, and Officer Roger's patrol car crept along behind her, keeping some distance but refusing to break off pursuit. _I wonder what it is that he thinks he can do if I DID want to cause trouble?_ she thought, amused by the notion. _Slap a bunch of tickets on me?_

A news crew skidded into position and started filming her approach; she waved to them in what she hoped would seem a friendly gesture. "Hi, Dad!" she called, with a deep-voiced laugh. _This is fun, and everything, but I'm not being very productive yet..._

Up ahead a couple of blocks, she saw some sort of a commotion happening, and this one wasn't her doing. She saw some sort of strange glow in the distance. _Maybe I should check that out,_ she thought.

* * *

"So... now that we're on the same page, are we looking at any new house rules?" Marinette asked, trying to look as innocent as possible.

Sabine chuckled at that. "Actually, yes. All kissing must be conducted between the hours of four and six o'clock, no exceptions, and either your father or I must be there to supervise."

Both parents cracked up at the looks on Marinette and Adrien's faces. "Or... we could go with common sense," Sabine continued. "Like, we won't demand that room doors stay open if you don't get caught at anything that'd make us _want_ them open. Behave, and we don't need to do anything dramatic. Right, Tom?"

"Hmmph," Tom sniffed. "I'm the father of a teenage girl. I think BOTH of Adrien's hands can be dangerous." Satisfied with the mortified look that produced from Marinette, he added, "But of course that won't become a potential problem, right?"

"Right," Adrien said, a little too quickly. "I wouldn't... um..."

The family followed his gaze to the nearby television, which had a breaking news report of an animated golem stomping through Paris. "Looks like Dreadnaught's back in town," Marinette noted. She looked at Adrien and asked, "Do you think you're needed?"

"It's not doing anything particularly hostile, is it?" Sabine wondered. "It looks like it's just wandering more than anything else."

"True," replied Adrien, "but last time, she was out there looking for Ladybug or Chat Noir. I don't know if Ladybug has her ears on tonight, so... maybe I'll take this one. If you're good with that?" he asked, looking at Marinette.

"Just be safe, sweetie," she said, squeezing his hand. "I'll, um, text Ladybug and see if she's available."

"Speaking of... does that mean we get to meet our other mystery houseguest?" Tom grinned. "The reason our cheese keeps disappearing?"

Adrien blushed, a bit embarrassed by that. "Yes, he's around. Plagg, can you come out?" he called.

The tiny black cat floated down the stairs. "If it'll make you feel better about that, Mr. Dupain, it was _really good_ cheese."

* * *

A small crowd had started to form around the woman on the bench... but not too closely. There had been footage of superheroes and villains in America, of course, and rumors of it popping up in Paris recently - the catboy, the winged girl, the giant statue, the girl in the ladybug suit - but this seemed like something different. If this was some kind of stunt show or live action role-playing skit, the special effects were AMAZING.

The woman didn't seem to be an active threat to anyone; in fact, not particularly active at all. She was dressed normally and lying fairly still. But the black energy pulsing around one of her hands, and increasingly around HER, was clearly out of the ordinary.

The bystanders, not experienced enough around superbeings to respond with "RUUUUUN!" at first glance, gawked at Nathalie and wondered what to do next. A wag in the back hollered "Poke her with a stick!" and was swiftly hooted down.

Thundering footsteps in the distance began to be heard, then became louder, and louder, and louder...

"RUUUUUN!" yelled someone, and most of the crowd did. "Giant hulking, walking statue" didn't require a lot of experience to process.

"Oh, come on, now! I'm not here to hurt anybody!" Dreadnaught yelled back. _Sheesh, some people!_

She peered down at the figure on the bench, warily. "Papillon?" she said. "Could this be the Nathalie you told me about?"

* * *

Papillon concentrated hard, visualizing what Dreadnaught was seeing... and turned white as a sheet.

"Yes! That's her... but the energy around her is like nothing I've seen before. DO NOT TOUCH HER!" he hollered to Dreadnaught. "Step back a bit." He turned to Fu and described the state Nathalie appeared to be in, and was not reassured when Fu became equally alarmed. "What should we do?" he asked Fu, holding up the vial of liquid Fu had prepared. "Will this help her at all?"

"Maybe? I have no idea... Remember that bit about two tablespoons every two hours? Forget that; give her the whole thing! Go, do it NOW, and do not hesitate!" Fu barked. "More lives than hers may be at stake."

"Dreadnaught... Mylenè... listen carefully. Do NOT touch Nathalie. Talk to her, gently, and see if she's responsive. Tell her that Gabriel is on his way, and he has medicine that may help her. Tell her not to move. If she just stays curled up in a ball, that's fine. But keep things calm for all our sakes. Understood?"

"Understood, Papillon," he heard in return.

 _I just blew my secret identity to her, in a big way... but, blast it, that doesn't matter right now. Nathalie and Mylenè's safety are more important._

"I am breaking contact now. Please be careful." He closed contact with Dreadnaught, then called out, "Fold your wings!" and reverted back to Gabriel in a white flash.

"Anything else I need to know?" Gabriel asked Fu, frantically.

"Not that I know of. If you can stabilize her, bring her here!" Fu replied. "And pray that this works," he called, as he watched Gabriel dash to his car.

* * *

Chat Noir ran and flipped across the rooftops of Paris, heading for the neighborhood where Dreadnaught had been sighted.

 _It's funny,_ he thought. _Her hair reminds me a LOT of one of my classmates. Wouldn't that be funny if that was her, transformed? Maybe there's something in the air in my classroom. First me, then_ _Mylenè..._

An errant thought wandered across his brain. _Now, HERE'S a funny thing,_ he pondered. _For people who'd never seen anyone transform before... Tom and Sabine were awfully calm watching me show off Plagg and transform to Chat Noir just then. Maybe it's just the amount of sheer weirdness I've been throwing at them this week._

 _Or maybe..._

He envisioned a laughing girl who'd captured his heart, with dark pigtails, a stubborn and warm heart, and a perfect smile. Then he layered a certain costume over her, made a small adjustment or two to his mental image, and gasped...

 _Oh, wow! I think Marinette and I need to chat tonight,_ he grinned. _Because I think I MIGHT have figured a little something out!_

Looking up ahead, he saw the unmistakable form of Dreadnaught up ahead. _Head in the game, kittycat_ , he thought.

* * *

Nathalie opened her eyes, groggily, as she heard an odd voice speaking to her. The voice was deep and resonant, and she struggled to make out a strange, massive shape kneeling down beside her.

"Nathalie, can you hear me?" she heard the figure say. "Papillon sent me."

"Pa-papillon?" Nothing was making any sense to her. She struggled to get up...

"Stay still. Conserve your energy. He told me to tell you that Gabriel is on his way. He has medicine that may help you."

 _Gabriel!_ That rang a bell. She opened her eyes wider... and saw an enormous stone statue, animated and speaking to her, with multicolored dreadlocks on its head. _Maybe I AM hallucinating,_ Nathalie thought. _Because it's hard to imagine anyone sane dreaming that up..._

"You're... real?" Nathalie managed.

"I am. I was transformed by the Moth Miraculous. Does that mean anything to you?" Dreadnaught said. "Normally I'm a regular person, just like you. Hang in there. We're going to fix this."

 _The MOTH! Papillon must be what Gabriel calls himself if he's using it._ Things were starting to click in Nathalie's head. "Gabriel's coming?" she muttered.

"Gabriel's coming," confirmed Dreadnaught. "I'm here to comfort you and protect you until he does. Not that anyone with any sense would hassle you right now."

Nathalie breathed as much of a sigh of relief as she could manage, given the circumstances. _About time that SOMETHING went right. I thought that this hunger would consume me before anyone found me._

A nearby thud made Dreadnaught turn, and Nathalie wobbled a bit as she turned to see what had made the noise.

"Good evening, ladies!" a young voice said. "The name's Chat Noir. How can I be of assistance toni..."

His voice trailed off as he saw Nathalie and their eyes met. "NATHALIE!" he gasped.

 _YOU!_

A furious rage filled every pore of Nathalie's body in a heartbeat.

 _YOU did THIS to ME!_

 _This is ALL YOUR FAULT!_

Beyond rational thought, beyond all considerations of who might be under Chat's mask, she rose to her feet and stood angrily, clouds of ominous black energy swirling around her.

* * *

Ladybug swung across Paris as quickly as she could. _I know that Chat Noir can handle himself well,_ she thought, _but I'll feel better if I'm there to keep an eye on him. He's been through a lot this week. Besides, Dreadnaught knows I'm friendly; maybe she'll react better if I'm there!_

A few minutes into her pursuit, she cleared a tall building and landed on a slightly lower rooftop, and took in quite a scene beneath her. She saw Dreadnaught standing still in the street, Chat Noir near her, his hands up, backing away... _but not from Dreadnaught, she's not doing anything... What is he..._

 _NO!_

She made out the humanoid figure inside the clouds of pulsing energy, staggering towards Chat Noir, and her heart fell into her shoes. "NO!" she screamed, as she dropped down to ground level. "DON'T HURT HIM!"

Without taking his eyes off of Nathalie, Chat Noir called out, "Nathalie, it's Adrien. I'm so sorry about all of this. Focus on me, not them."

Dreadnaught took another step back, trying to make sense of any of this. _Chat Noir... is ADRIEN?_ she thought. _I guess that helps explain where HE went!_

"Sssssssorrrrry?" Nathalie hissed. Her movement speed increased, headed straight for Chat Noir.

Chat seemed nearly paralyzed, whether from fear or guilt. He walked backwards in halting steps, and covered up as Nathalie got closer... and closer...

* * *

Chat Noir expected the next moment to be the last one of his life. A yo-yo, wrapping itself around his waist and yanking him away roughly, had other ideas.

"Sorry, Nathalie, but I'm next on his dance card," Ladybug muttered. "Chat, wake up, already! That was too close."

She looked into his eyes and didn't see much of anyone home inside them. _I know how guilty you feel, Adrien, but I'm going to LOSE YOU if you don't focus!_ Ladybug thought, tugging Chat farther away. The sound of a speeding car braking heavily and stopping registered somewhere in the deep background of Ladybug's mind, but she had no time for that now.

Dreadnaught yelled, "Ladybug! I don't know what to do! I told her that Gabriel is coming, he has medicine to help her... but Papillon told me not to touch her!"

THAT woke Chat up. "GABRIEL is coming?" he muttered, cowering in Ladybug's arms.

"Gabriel is HERE," called a voice. "Nathalie! It's me!"

Nathalie's attention seemed diverted for a moment; she turned and looked at Gabriel, then back at Chat Noir, then back at Gabriel.

"I told you... that I would find something that could help you... and I did," panted Gabriel, rushing towards the transformed Nathalie. "A Chinese herbalist _who knows what Miraculouses are_ prepared this for me! It may not fix you entirely, but it should help! Nathalie, listen to me... please!"

Nathalie held her head in her hands for a moment... then dashed forwards, with a loud shout of unleashed rage and madness, reaching out desperately for Chat Noir!

* * *

It happened in an instant.

 _I know what they said, but I don't care... I'm not going to let her kill him!_

"NO, YOU DON'T!" cried Dreadnaught. "Time for you to get DREADLOCKED!"

Her dreadlocks animated and shot forwards, like so many colorful giant anacondas, wrapping around Nathalie and stopping her short of Chat Noir and Ladybug.

Ladybug watched in horror as Nathalie struggled in their grasp... then turned around and lunged at Dreadnaught, instead!

*CRACK-A-THOOOOOM!*

A massive energy discharge knocked everyone present off their feet!

* * *

Chat Noir opened his eyes, somewhat reluctantly. The pounding in his head argued that doing so was a bad idea.

The first thing he saw was Ladybug on the ground, beside him, semiconscious. She was rubbing her head, trying to wake herself up, with partial success.

He looked past her, and saw his father cradling Nathalie's head in his lap, the pulsing energy gone from her body. He watched Gabriel pour an unidentified liquid into her mouth, saying "Don't move, Nathalie. Swallow this for me... Tell me if this helps. I have no idea what it tastes like, so I can't prepare you for that."

He watched her eyes open, her sanity apparently returned at least in part, and heard her mutter, "Needs... a little garlic."

 _Good,_ he thought. _Dad had no protection, but it looks like he was far enough away not to get hurt. And Nathalie looks a little more like Nathalie now._

He looked around for Dreadnaught... and, strangely, didn't see her. _A twelve-foot golem is pretty hard to lose, isn't it? I -_

 _Oh!_

Chat saw Mylenè's untransformed figure face down on the ground, lying quite still.

He screamed her name, and ran over to see if he could help her - she was breathing, at least, that much was right with the world - and tears ran down his mask.

Finally, Chat glanced over once more at his father, who was looking back at him...

...and they shared a very long, very intense stare at each other.

* * *

Next time:

* Cleaning up the mess, as much as it can be.

* "YOU... know a lot more than you've let on."

* Forgiveness is not easily given or received.

* Comparing lots of notes...

* "It's building again."


	14. Discord and Dissonance

Let's Take It From The Top, Chapter 14: Discord and Dissonance

* * *

Ladybug shook her head and took a deep breath, trying to shake the cobwebs loose. It wasn't easy.

 _Did anyone get the licence plate on that truck?_ she thought. _I'm not sure what just hit me, but I'm amazed that I'm still in one piece! The magic in this suit really must be potent..._

 _What had just happened_? She tried as hard as she could to piece it together in her mind. _I'd pulled Chat Noir out of danger... danger! Chat Noir was in deadly danger! Nathalie was crackling with energy and coming after him, and stopped short..._

 _That's right! Nathalie was caught by Dreadnaught! Then Nathalie turned, and..._

 _Mylenè?!_

That shook her out of her haze, abruptly, and got her onto her feet. She scanned the area quickly and saw no sign of Dreadnaught...

...But there was Mylenè, with Chat Noir tending to her. She saw tears on his face and called out to the two of them, but neither responded. Chat's gaze was focused on a figure kneeling over who appeared to be Nathalie, but without the energy aura around her. Nathalie seemed semiconscious, barely moving in the arms of...

 _OH!_

Ladybug gasped as she realized the implications of the staredown in progress.

* * *

The pair were wordless for the better part of a minute, as Chat Noir composed himself. He looked down as he felt Mylenè begin to stir; she didn't look happy, but she was definitely alive.

"Chat Noir, I presume," his father said, darkly.

"...I am," Chat replied. He cast a wary eye on the handful of spectators that were gradually edging back towards the scene. "Though, obviously, I have another name. And so do you. Are we-"

"Are you _quite_ satisfied, boy?" Gabriel snapped. "Is all of this what you were hoping for?"

"You know damn well that it isn't," snarled Chat. "And you know _precisely_ why what happened, happened. Are we doing this NOW? HERE? In front of everybody?"

Ladybug moved to his side and cradled Mylenè, gently. "Do what you have to do, Chat," she said. "I'll take care of her."

* * *

As Chat walked towards his father, Mylenè let out a low moan, regaining more awareness and hearing a familiar voice above her. "Marinette?" she whispered.

The startled look on Ladybug's face was priceless. "Nooooo... not exactly..." she whispered back. "Open your eyes."

Mylenè did so, and her eyes widened quickly with surprise. "Oh... hi," she managed. "It's you! I guess grabbing Nathalie like that wasn't my brightest move ever."

"Beyond brave is more like it," reassured Ladybug. "She could've killed you just now! How do you feel? You can move everything?"

"Y-yeah," confirmed Mylenè, flexing a few parts to be sure. "My head is throbbing, but I can move and I can think. Kinda."

"You might be concussed," Ladybug advised her, "but the fighting is over, I think. Lay still. We'll get someone to check you out, make sure you're physically okay, and we'll let your dad and Ivan know what happened. I'm sure they'll be with you soon."

"I appreciate that, Ladybug..." Mylenè then got a funny look on her face. "Wait. You know that I'm together with Ivan? You know who I _am?"_

"Oh! Um..." stammered Ladybug. "Maybe you're not the only one who got hit in the head. Just lie back and relax, and..."

Mylenè looked a little closer. "You ARE Marinette!" she gasped, quietly. "Did Papillon send you a butterfly, too?"

 _Arrrrgh!_ thought Ladybug. _It's not that I can't trust Mylenè - I know I can - but I need to be better at this secret identity business..._

"Okay," she sighed. "You got me, Mylenè. You _have_ to keep this a secret! We'll talk about this later, but not right now, 'kay?" Ladybug looked over at the Agrestes and added, "I think I'm about to be needed as a peacemaker."

Mylenè turned her head and saw whom Ladybug was staring at, recognized Gabriel Agreste, and did some mental math...

"Hey, isn't that..."

"Yup," said Ladybug.

"So, the blonde... is THAT who I think it is?" she continued, pointing at Chat Noir.

"Yup," confirmed Ladybug, closing her eyes.

"Maybe I _did_ hit my head," Mylenè boggled. "How is any of this happening? I thought Papillon told me he could send only one butterfly at a time... but you were both here with me!"

"I think I figured out what your other superpower is, Mylenè," smiled Ladybug, grimly. "Spotting things that we were kind of hoping you wouldn't notice."

* * *

A short distance away, the tension in the air grew thicker by the moment.

"No, this didn't _have to_ happen here and now. But you _made_ this happen, 'Chat Noir.' You made this happen with dozens of choices you've made this week," glared Gabriel.

"Maybe. But I've learned a lot of things that make me think those choices weren't wrong," retorted Chat. "Is Nathalie... okay?"

"For now... perhaps? She needs medical attention and likely more than that," Gabriel snarled. "This is important, boy. Have you been suffering from a similar malady?"

"Why do you want to know that?" Chat asked.

"BECAUSE I'M YOUR..." Gabriel stopped himself just before blurting out the obvious. "Because that may be part of fixing both of you and putting things right again. _Among other reasons_. I suppose it's too much to ask that you'll come back now to where you belong?"

Chat stood silently, trying to find an answer. The silence sufficed as one.

"For the moment... you have a roof over your head, you're safe?" Gabriel asked. "You're staying with someone whom you can trust?"

"I am, on all three counts," Chat replied. "With a friend I would trust with my life, and their family."

"Do _they_ know that you're putting _their_ lives in danger?"

"They do," Ladybug piped up, joining the conversation hesitantly. "I know the family, and they're aware of the situation, as much as they need to know."

"Fine," handwaved Gabriel, frustrated. "Chat Noir... you go on daydreaming a little longer, then, because we have no time to argue this out now! We have casualties. Get Mylenè to safety, and I'll get Nathalie to someone who can help her. We WILL need to compare notes, and if I do not hear from you by telephone at the very least, I will be infuriated _beyond belief._ And when you come to your senses, you know to where you must return."

"That's fair," Chat allowed. "Ladybug, can we head out?"

Gabriel looked Ladybug up and down. "Young lady, a moment of your time, please?" he asked, gesturing for her to approach him.

* * *

As Ladybug walked over to Gabriel's side, Chat gave her a meaningful look. _Be CAREFUL!_ nearly poured out of his eyes.

"It's fine, Chat. I think he and I have some things that we need to talk about," replied Ladybug. She faced off with Gabriel as the two moved out of hearing range, adding, "Besides, I don't think I have anything to fear from you, do I, Mr. Agreste?"

"Not at all. I mean you no harm, and would much rather consider you an ally. Perhaps even more of one than you know. Or... given tonight's events, perhaps you are indeed aware?" ventured Gabriel, quietly.

"Perhaps, but I'd hardly say it out in public like this. By the way, that's a very attractive brooch you have on, Mr. Agreste," smiled Ladybug.

Despite himself, Gabriel grinned. "You _are_ a clever one. But of course, I expected no less! If you know its secret, may I assume you know another, closely... related to that one?"

A tight nod confirmed that without Ladybug's saying it out loud.

"If you hadn't, I'd imagine that tonight's fiasco would've telegraphed it to you, after all... No matter. We have spoken previously about Chat Noir, and tonight should have proven two things to you. One is that I have a compelling reason for wanting him home - _several_ reasons, obviously - and the other is that if this crisis is NOT resolved, it may have dire implications. For Nathalie, for my son, and for anyone whom they encounter." Gabriel's face was stern. "Are we in agreement on those points?"

"We are," said Ladybug. "My own... benefactor, I guess you could say, wants much the same. And the _last_ thing I want is for anyone else to get hurt. What was that you gave Nathalie, after the explosion?"

Gabriel replied, "A concoction of herbs that an acquaintance cooked up, from an ancient recipe. He seemed to think it might help, but we won't know until we see how this first dose fares."

The phrase _"a Chinese herbalist, who knows what Miraculouses are"_ flashed across Ladybug's mind from slightly earlier. A small, thoughtful grin crossed her face. "So there might be some progress towards a cure, for one or both of them?" she asked, hopefully.

"Possibly. We will see what effect this had on Nathalie, and if it proves helpful, perhaps more can be brewed." Gabriel's eyes narrowed. "From what you said earlier, you are involved with Chat Noir's current whereabouts?" he asked. "He is staying with you, perhaps?"

"He is in good and safe hands. That is all I can disclose right now," replied Ladybug, carefully. "I'm also keeping my own eye on him. He's a good person and I'm very worried about him."

"I'm pleased that you think so. Despite my current frustration with him... part of me knows that he's trying to do what he feels is right. Even if he is wrong about what right is," sighed Gabriel, "on _multiple_ levels. Should you need me, you know how to contact me?"

Ladybug nodded. "I do."

"Go, then," Gabriel gestured, "and get that young lady whatever help she may need. And tell her that Papillon is quite sorry for involving her in this... and he will make things up to her somehow. _That_ is a promise. Contact me when you can and we'll see if we can figure out this madness."

He turned his back, ending their conversation. Ladybug watched as he returned to tending to Nathalie, then retreated to where Chat waited with Mylenè.

* * *

"What did he say?" Chat asked Ladybug, anxiously.

"He's concerned for you. Obviously, he knows you and Nathalie are the two halves of the big problem," she responded. "We'll talk about this later. Mylenè, what do you want to do?" She turned to her friend with worried eyes. "How are you feeling? Should we get you to a doctor? A hospital? Home to your dad?"

"As weird as this sounds... I think I'm mostly okay," Mylenè said, seeming a little surprised at that. "I have a headache, but not a bad one. Maybe take me back to Ivan's house? I think he's waiting for me there."

Chat and Ladybug looked at each other. "Can you take her there, Chat?" Ladybug asked. "I may need to help get Nathalie to where she needs to go, whether that's to a doctor or... someone else."

"If you can direct me there, sure," Chat replied, to which Mylenè nodded. "Marinette can get word to you, right? We're definitely going to need to talk about things."

"You let her know, she'll let me know. And maybe our Kwamis can figure something out, like a communicator or some gadget like that. Now, before you go, are YOU okay, Chat?" asked Ladybug. "This night can't have been easy for you."

"One of many things we need to talk about, but yeah, I'll be all right," he said. "And thank you for asking. You're a good friend, Ladybug."

He scooped up Mylenè and made sure that she was ready for rapid transit. Mylenè looked at Ladybug, who put her finger to her lips as subtly as she could. _Don't give my secret away, Mylenè!_ she said with her gaze as the pair left.

Once they were on their way, Ladybug returned to Gabriel and Nathalie. "And how are you doing?" Ladybug asked Nathalie, gently. "Is there anything I can do to help?"

"Not really, Ladybug," Nathalie replied, woozily. "Tell whoever was... butterflied... that I'm sorry and I hope I didn't hurt her! Once the hunger got that intense, I was completely out of my mind."

"She'll be all right," Ladybug reassured her. "Will you?" she asked, sneaking a meaningful glance at Gabriel.

"I have made an acquaintance who thinks he can help, as I'd said," Gabriel replied. "Do keep in touch and we will see what happens."

Ladybug nodded, then came to a decision and swallowed hard before adding, "Mr. Agreste? I just want you to know that neither I, nor whom Adrien's staying with are trying to keep him from you. That's not what any of this is about; it's obvious how hard this situation is on both of you. I want to do what's best for everyone, once I figure out what that is."

Gabriel gave her a grudging smile. "Miss Ladybug, I appreciate that. You are a remarkable young woman, and I am sincerely pleased to have you as an ally. Once things have stabilized, we have much to talk about."

"I'm sure, and thank you. Where are you taking her now?" Ladybug asked.

"Home, for the moment. If that is where you wish to go?" Gabriel asked, to which Nathalie nodded.

"A good night's sleep should help. It'll be the first one I've had in a week," she replied.

"I hope so," answered Ladybug. "In that case, good night, and be careful..."

She left, quickly. _It sounds like everyone is heading to the right place. Which means that I have a place of my own to go to, quickly, before Chat gets back to my house or Gabriel goes there!_

 _I need something big answered for me, right now. Whether he likes it or not. It's the only possible thing tying all of this together that makes any sense at all..._

* * *

As Chat carried her above the rooftops, Mylenè took a moment to reflect on how insane these last couple of days had been. "So, you're the mysterious Chat Noir, hero of Paris?" she opened with.

"I am," he smiled, proudly. "Though I don't seem to be all that mysterious, now that I think about it. Just about everyone who's seen me in costume seems to know who I am without it. Like you, right?"

"Um..." Mylenè grinned. "Let's just say that you're blonde, my age, and having a public argument with Gabriel Agreste..."

"I figured," Chat shrugged. "You will keep my poorly guarded secret, the way I'll keep yours as Dreadnaught, right?"

"Sure," said Mylenè. "I seem to have a lot of secrets to keep all of a sudden. I think Dreadnaught's completely burned out of me now, though. What the heck did she hit me with? It was like grabbing onto a live wire."

Chat was silent for a moment. "It's... something that's my fault. I am so sorry about that. To you AND to her."

"It's okay. If nothing else, it's a heck of a story, even if I can't really tell it to anyone," Mylenè reasoned.

"Did Ivan see you as Dreadnaught?" Chat asked. "I'd love to have seen the look on his face..."

"Hah!" Mylenè laughed. "He looked like he'd seen a ghost when I showed him. So... where the heck have you BEEN, anyway? Everyone's been asking about you..."

"As you can probably imagine, that's quite a long story, and I'll have to leave some things out of it," Chat began...

* * *

Gabriel pulled the car up to his estate, then walked around and opened the door for Nathalie. "Should I help you inside?" he asked, concerned.

"I'm okay, I can walk," Nathalie assured him. "My head hurts, but finally... _feeding_ that hunger helped quite a bit. That poor girl! I hope she'll be all right. Now, I'm not sure what you fed me back there, or what it was supposed to do..."

"That was from a most interesting Chinese gentleman I met today," Gabriel said, with a curious expression. "One who not only knew what a Miraculous was, but who _had one of his own_ , and seemed to _recognize_ some of that ancient book."

"You're joking," replied Nathalie. "...You're NOT! Gabriel, you circled the globe looking for information on Miraculouses... and it turns out someone here _in_ _town_ has answers _?"_

"Remarkable, isn't it?" noted Gabriel. "And that just might explain where our young Ladybug friend came from."

"So... wait, my head hurts. So does he know that Chat Noir is your son? Does he know that YOU know about HIM? Which Miraculous does he have?" Nathalie chattered, anxiously.

"Hold on to those thoughts! We'll talk once we're inside. Let's get you in the house and resting, first!" Gabriel insisted. "You'll meet him sooner than not, just because he's the best chance we have of easing your hunger."

The pair walked to the front door, where Gabriel's bodyguard was waiting for them with an anxious face. He lightened up considerably when he saw Nathalie walking and moving normally.

"Hold on a moment, Gabriel," Nathalie said, and moved towards the bodyguard. "That was beyond selfless, what you tried to offer me earlier," she told him. "Selfless and reckless and absolutely foolhardy! I could have killed you, easily. I wanted to say just how much I appreciated what you wanted me to do... _but don't do that again, please!"_

The bodyguard stood still for a moment... then responded with a shrug, and a hint of a smile.

* * *

Master Fu buzzed around his home, quite anxiously, with a worried green Kwami following him around like a floating puppy. "Can I get you anything, Master?" Wayzz offered.

"...A new brain?" the old man muttered. "The one that I have was NOT ready for today. This is chaos like I haven't encountered in a century. To think that someone literally brought the Moth right into my HOME!"

"Is Nooroo in danger?" wondered Wayzz. "Are WE in danger, Master?"

"No, and no," Master Fu reassured him. "Not yet, anyway. Nooroo and Gabriel seemed comfortable with each other, and Gabriel doesn't seem to be misusing Nooroo. He was genuinely concerned for the girl that was hosting his butterfly, and for his son and assistant as well. But..."

He clutched his head. "...That's a dangerous wild card to have on the loose like that, though we have other problems. Our first concern is getting the Cataclysm back under control, and quickly!"

"What exactly is happening with that? I can sense the wild energies at play, but it's very confusing," the Kwami asked.

"To put it simply... Cataclysm's energies are split in two, and each piece wants to be whole," explained Master Fu. "They will be more and more drawn to each other as things go - the 'hunger' of which they speak is for the missing piece. That's going to get stronger, and stronger, and _stronger_ until they reunite. And the stronger they get, the more dangerous they get; soon, it will be like a full Cataclysm is active at all times on each of their hands. One touch could disintegrate a car, a building... a person, by accident. And if they contact each other, at full force..."

Master Fu continued, pacing the floor, "With Plagg's moderating influence and with the Miraculous on Adrien's finger... he will feel its effects, but it will be more controllable. Nathalie has no such assistance and I have none that I know of to give her." He frowned, adding, "I can concoct some temporary, stopgap remedies but I'll NEED THAT BOOK to figure out how to reunite the two! And, of course, I'll need that BOY."

"We do know where he is, at least, do we not?" said Wayzz.

"For the moment. Our Ladybug carries a bigger responsibility than she knows... I hope that she is up to the task."

Master Fu's statement faded as he saw a strange look appear on Wayzz's face. "What is it, Wayzz?" he asked, gently.

"If you like, I think you can ask her that yourself, Master. I just felt Tikki's transformation right here, in your back yard!"

* * *

Chat Noir looked with some amusement at the look on Mylenè's face. _She's only gotten a portion of the story... but it looks like that was enough to blow her mind even further._

"Wow," she breathed. "So I should stay away from your right hand, huh?"

"I'd recommend it in general until I get this figured out. Though right now, it shouldn't be a problem," Chat assured her. "I don't have the feeling that it's dangerous yet."

"How are you getting it figured out?" asked Mylenè.

"I wish I knew," he said, quietly.

"I bet having a dangerous hand complicates cuddling with Marinette, huh?" Mylenè grinned. As he blushed, she continued, "Oh, don't you get shy about that, that's awesome! I don't think she's ever had a boyfriend before, and it's obvious how much you care about her. Every time you say her name, your face lights up like the sun."

"Yeah, she's... I can't even describe how much she's... her parents are... she's just... wow," Chat stammered, grinning back. "I can't tell you how blessed I am to have Marinette in my life. I don't know how I would've gotten through this week without her."

"Do her parents know about all the... superhero stuff?" asked Mylenè.

"They know about me. We had a long talk when I first showed up there, and another one when I had a minor incident or two. I don't know if they know about..." Chat trailed off.

"About... what?" Mylenè continued, making an odd face.

"Just... about."

Both teens went quiet. _I can't let on that I know about Marinette's secret_ _!_ each thought at the same time.

* * *

Tikki looked around with considerable alarm at her surroundings, as she realized what Marinette was up to. "We should not be here, Marinette!" she warned her young charge.

"Why not?" asked Marinette. "He was very helpful the last time that I saw him."

"His shop is, er, closed!" stammered Tikki. "It's evening now. He might be asleep."

"Or he might not. I can see lights on inside."

"Maybe he sleeps with the lights on, Marinette. Did you think of that?" Tikki asked.

"Does he also sleepwalk? Because he's walking towards the door right now," Marinette sassed back.

 _Oh, no,_ thought Tikki, darting out of sight. _As if things weren't complicated enough already!_

The door opened, and Marinette was face-to-face with Master Fu. "May I... help you with something, young miss?" he asked, evenly. "Your strange malady hasn't returned, has it?"

"It's returned... but not to me. And forgive me for saying so, but I can't help but suspect that you know a lot more than you've let on."

Marinette gave him a meaningful stare. "Sir... am I wrong?"

Master Fu wondered, briefly, if there was any point in spouting a hasty cover story... then thought better of it. "I knew you were special the moment I first saw you. Do come in, Ladybug," he said with a wink, gesturing for her to follow him inside.

Marinette stepped forward after a brief, open-mouthed pause. "I was RIGHT!" she whispered to Tikki.

"You didn't think that you were?" Tikki asked her.

"I was sure that I was, but it's another thing entirely to _find that_ _out for sure!_ " Marinette giggled.

* * *

Nathalie stretched out on her bed, relieved to be home and feeling semi-normal. "That concoction... will that fix me?" she asked her boss.

Gabriel's face fell, somewhat. "We do not know. Mr. Wang asked me to have you try that and see what effects it has. He's anxious to see you in person."

"I bet he is," muttered Nathalie. "Gabriel, how much do we really know about this person?"

"Not a lot... but what choice do we have?" he reasoned. "And cultivating some kind of relationship with him would be prudent on many levels. He knows of Miraculouses. He OWNS a Miraculous. He might have been the source for the Ladybug! What he could contribute to the research on the book might be incalculable."

"Does he know about the Ladybug - Cat combination? The wish? Its costs?" Nathalie inquired.

"Yes. He knew all that before I walked in the door, as he picked up immediately on what it was Adrien had attempted to do. He didn't say it out loud; we were playing cat-and-mouse to a significant degree." Gabriel smiled, smugly. "I can't blame him; if I suspected someone of trying to accumulate and invoke that kind of power, I'd be wary of him, too."

"ARE you trying to do that? Or would he?"

Gabriel's face was serene. "I believe that I can trust him to help, though I will be holding certain cards in reserve, of course. I also believe that he will not come after either the Moth or the Cat; he does not seem the type. There is more to him than meets the eye, however... and how we will interact once this crisis is over, time will tell."

"You didn't answer that completely, Gabriel," nagged Nathalie. "What about you?"

"Do not ask me that right now, Nathalie." Gabriel's mood darkened visibly at the thought. _Could I find myself capable of doing that, knowing the cost? Could I betray Ladybug and Mr. Wang, much less my son, and live with myself and the consequences?_

 _And yet... with Emilie at stake... OR with Nathalie AND Adrien's futures at stake..._

* * *

Tikki floated up behind Marinette's head, cautiously, so that Marinette couldn't see her. She pantomimed _I'M SORRY!_ at Master Fu as best she could.

"It's fine, Tikki," Master Fu smiled, causing Marinette to whirl around in surprise that Tikki was out in plain view. "You yourself said that there wouldn't be secrets for long from this one." He led Marinette into the main room and gestured for her to sit down. "I'll get some tea started; this might be a little while," he said.

"I'm guessing from Tikki's reaction... that whatever I've figured out about you wasn't anything that I was meant to know. Maybe ever," said Marinette, nervously.

"I wouldn't go that far," he called from his kitchen, fiddling with a kettle. "But this is sooner than I'd anticipated. Marinette, if I may ask, what is it that gave me away?"

"A couple of things," she ventured. "The main thing was when we all converged on Nathalie, Gabriel Agreste mentioned 'a Chinese herbalist who knows what Miraculouses are.' When I put that together with Tikki having brought me here when I got zapped, and the herbal treatment you gave me then..."

"I see," he grumbled. "I've known the man for an hour and he's already giving up my secrets!"

"It was more than that, sir," Marinette added. "Right now, there are three Miraculouses in use in Paris. Two of them came from the Agrestes; from what I can tell, the third one didn't. Mine! And you were at my parents' bakery the night that I found Tikki. Soooo... I'm guessing that you're not really a massage therapist?"

"Very clever, young lady... but slightly wrong in two respects. I am an _excellent_ massage therapist! And there are not three Miraculouses in use in Paris... there are four," noted Master Fu, returning to Marinette's side.

"Four?" she replied... then her eyes flew open wide as a tiny green turtle Kwami fluttered her way.

"I'm Wayzz! I'm Master Fu's Kwami," the Kwami said. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Marinette!"

"Uhh... you too!" Marinette chuckled. "Okay, OBVIOUSLY, you are a person whom I really want to get to know. But, who ARE you?"

Tikki bobbed before her, smiling now that she saw that the tension had been broken. "Master Fu is the last known member of the Order of the Guardians!"

From the kitchen, the kettle whistled. "What's a Guardian, you're about to ask?" Master Fu grinned. "Hold that thought for a moment," he said, returning to finish preparing their tea.

Marinette looked at Tikki and whispered, "I could have stayed home and minded my own business tonight. But noooo..."

* * *

A THUMP! behind Ivan made him jump, abruptly. "What the..." he sputtered, turning to see his girlfriend with a strangely familiar catboy.

"Ivan!" Mylenè called, running over to him. "Hey! I'm back."

"And normal-sized-and-shaped!" Ivan noted, hugging her. "You changed back?"

"For good, I'm afraid. It was a temporary thing and I kind of used it up," confirmed Mylenè. "But we did good, right, Chat?"

"Very good," Chat confirmed. "Hi! I'm Chat Noir. Mylenè was a huge help to us back there, but she's a little bit knocked around, so could you make sure she's comfortable and feeling all right?"

Ivan just stared at him for a moment, then shook it off. "Oh, uh... sure! Sure, I can. I know you, I saw you on the news." He thought for a moment, then asked Chat, "Hey... that rock golem thing... where do I sign up for one of those?"

Chat scratched his head. "I'm not sure, actually. If hers was anything like mine, it just showed up out of the blue one afternoon... but I'll let you two talk that out. I've got someone I need to talk to; a couple of someones, actually..."

He waved, then leaped away. Ivan's eyes followed him with surprise, then went back to Mylenè. "Am I ever going to find out what this was all about?" he asked.

"Sure, honey," Mylenè told him, "...right after I figure that out myself."

* * *

Marinette and Master Fu discussed the evening's events, particularly the interactions between Nathalie and the Agrestes.

"I'm not sure what kind of energy Nathalie was packing, but it was a whole different weight class than what Adrien zapped me with," Marinette explained. "I don't know what full power would've done to Chat Noir and I don't want to find out. Is Mylenè really going to be all right?"

"If your description of her is accurate, I believe so. There should be no lasting after-effects," Master Fu replied. "She was very lucky that she had Papillon's power flowing through her, and that it was a particularly durable form she was in! I was pleased to see that Gabriel seemed genuinely concerned for her... not every wielder of the Moth is thoughtful that way."

Marinette looked hesitant before asking her next question. "So... Gabriel can be trusted? Adrien told me about what the Ladybug and Cat can do together... and why that's why he's not bringing the Cat home if he can help it. What do you think, uh, Master?"

"Now, THAT is a good question. And one for which I don't have an answer yet," mused Master Fu. "As long as his aim is to heal his son and his assistant... I would imagine that he will be reliable. But I do not know him well enough yet for more than surface judgments, and many questions are yet unanswered. We will take that one day at a time."

"And as for Adrien, and Nathalie? _Can_ they be fixed?"

"Another good question," he frowned. "So far, I'm only guessing whether I'm anywhere close to that. I have asked Gabriel to bring Nathalie here, and having access to Adrien will also help. Though I do NOT want Adrien to know what you now know... not yet... which complicates things. The third element is a rare book that Gabriel has. He's shown me scans of it, but the real thing would be invaluable. Perhaps I can borrow that from him... perhaps not. Or perhaps a young man that you know can retrieve it."

His eyes danced, momentarily. "And speaking of that young man... tell me more about him. I've heard what his father had to say; I'd like to hear it from you."

* * *

"Well..." Marinette grasped that a lot might be riding on what she said next.

"He's kind at heart. His first impulse is to think of others, instead of himself," she began. "Tonight was an example of that; the moment he felt he was endangering my family, he ran away from the only safe haven he had. He was ready to shiver all night on an office building roof, and I had to beg him to come back."

"And the act that started all of this, trying to wish on the power of the Miraculouses. That was selfless, too?" countered Master Fu.

"No," conceded Marinette. "And yes, in a way. When that happened, he was in way over his head and he barely understood that the magic was real, let alone what the cost of it could be. He wanted to bring his mother back from... whatever happened to her, not to wish 'give me fifty million Euros' or something completely self-centered like that. And he is completely horrified by what he's done, now that he understands it better, and wants to make amends however he can."

"You've seen him in action as Chat Noir several times now. What are your impressions of him that way?" he continued.

"The moment he sees someone who needs help, he jumps right into it. He protected me at a time when he really didn't know much about me or have much reason to trust me yet. He's been honest with me, both as Marinette and as Ladybug."

"Does he know that you are Ladybug?" inquired Master Fu.

"I haven't told him that," gulped Marinette. "Tikki stressed that keeping that secret was important. So far only my parents know, and, um, my friend Mylenè took one look at me tonight and she knew who both Chat and I were. She swears she'll keep those secrets, and I'll talk to her later tonight about it."

Marinette looked at Master Fu, pleadingly. "Have you met Adrien yet, personally?"

"I have not," said the old man. "The Black Cat is an enormous responsibility, and I need to know that it will not be misused. Our current crisis is proof of what can happen when it is."

"I hope that you do meet him soon, and that you'll see what I see in him," said Marinette, with sincere eyes. "I kind of dismissed him at first glance when I met him in school; we had a... minor incident... and I thought he was just another stuck-up rich kid. Then he sort of fell into my lap... almost literally... and the more I get to know him, the more I find to like. I know you don't know a lot about ME yet, either, and I'm still wondering how I of all people got picked to be Ladybug... but if I'm going to be out there risking my life, he's the kind of person I trust to be by my side."

Marinette's gaze was focused on him, intently. "Does that make sense, Master Fu?"

* * *

The old man smiled slightly. "It does. And I'm glad that our opinions of him match so well."

"They do?" asked Marinette, a bit surprised.

"If I only gave Miraculouses to people who never make mistakes, they'd never leave the box," Master Fu began. "Yes, he acted rashly and he and others are suffering for it right now. But everything you've told me - and everything his father's told me - says that he's trying his hardest to learn from that and to put it right. That he is not using his power carelessly, but trying hard NOT to use it except when it's needed. And he puts others' needs ahead of his own. I did not choose him to be Chat Noir... but, given the chance, he's the kind of person I might have chosen."

"If, of course, I can trust your judgment about him, Marinette..." he trailed off. He chuckled, watching her turn a bit green at that. "...but the earrings you are wearing certainly demonstrate that I do."

"Why DID you choose me, Master Fu?" Marinette asked. "The only super-power I'd ever had was super-clumsiness."

"A little Firefly told me to," Master Fu replied. "One who helped me across a busy intersection, without any thought of reward. One who risked herself to help people in danger, and gave up her powers by doing so. And one who was courageous and positive enough for the butterfly to find her in the first place. The Moth Miraculous rarely makes mistakes."

"...HAVE I made a mistake, Marinette?" he asked her, with steely eyes.

Marinette cringed... but then sat straight up. "I hope not. I intend to prove that you haven't."

"Then once again, we are in agreement," he smiled.

"So what should I do now?" asked Marinette, visibly relieved.

"Keep me informed of things as they happen. Watch over Adrien for me; he may be a fine young man, but he IS dangerous. Be careful coming here; Ladybug must not be seen walking in my front door. No one else must know of what I represent; not even Adrien, yet. I will reach out to him in my own way, in my own time. Though I may ask you to bring him here at some point...and if I do, we'll figure out what to tell him then."

"Understood," she replied.

"...And you may wish to get home NOW, before Adrien wonders why he encountered Ladybug and now Marinette's not home," grinned Master Fu.

"Yikes! You're right!" Marinette headed for the door, quickly. "Thank you, Master Fu! I'll be in touch!"

The old man waved as she left, then looked down at the cooling cup on her side of the table. "It's a good thing I'm quite thirsty," he smiled, sipping at his own tea first.

* * *

"Claws in!"

Plagg appeared in a tiny puff of air and took in his surroundings. "Well, that was interesting," he ventured... "And I see that this cat still likes to climb to high places."

"Call me strange, but I seem to get some of my best thinking done up here, and I know I'll be alone." Adrien swung his legs back and forth, sitting on of one of the girders halfway up the Eiffel Tower. "You're not scared of heights, are you, Plagg?"

"Nah, I can fly, remember? Just be careful. Cats land on their feet, but you're not a cat without your transformation on," the Kwami replied. "So what are we doing up here, anyway?"

"Thinking. Figuring out what to do next. Don't give me that look, Plagg, I don't mean NEXT next. I mean, if I were to run off again, Marinette would cut my ears off," replied Adrien. "I'm going back to her house in a little while. But... facing off with Dad like that, seeing Mylenè get hurt, seeing Nathalie out of control like that... I thought Mylenè was dead right there, Plagg, and it would've been _all my fault..."_

Plagg watched, nervously, as he saw his young host's shoulders shaking as he let out considerable pent-up emotion. _This is a little above my pay grade,_ Plagg thought. _Tikki's so much better empathizing with humans than I've ever been._ "Adrien," he attempted, "don't beat yourself up TOO much, okay? You're doing the best you can."

"My best isn't good enough," muttered Adrien. "Look at what I did _just today,_ Plagg. I zapped my girlfriend, and could've killed her. I zapped her mother, and could've killed her. I hurt Marinette by running off, even if it was for her own good. A situation I created hurt Mylenè, and could've killed _her._ My father is furious at me, Nathalie literally tried to _kill me_ , and I can't say that she didn't have reason."

"Melodramatic much, kid?" Plagg snarked.

"Come again?"

"Marinette BECAME your girlfriend today. She's as into you as you are into her and you know it. You had two accidents, neither one serious, and were forgiven for both. You talked it out with Marinette and her parents and worked things out. Your father knows that you're safe and staying with someone. Mylenè had a scare, but she's fine. And Nathalie didn't try to kill you so much as act out while Cataclysm had her crazy! Maybe it's just me... but that's not all bad." noted Plagg.

"No, it isn't. But I'm sure that even though my hand's okay right now... it's building again. What if I end up like Nathalie was, overwhelmed by Cataclysm energy like that? Or if we BOTH are and we run into each other?" asked Adrien.

"We can't let that happen," Plagg muttered in a low voice.

"But if-"

"WE. CAN'T. LET. THAT. HAPPEN," Plagg repeated. "Trust me on that."

Adrien's eyes widened. "Plagg, buddy? What would that do? Have you seen it happen like that?"

He didn't answer.

Changing the subject, Plagg said, "If your father met up with who I think he did... we might not have that problem. Whatever that was that he had Nathalie drink, you don't get that kind of thing at the grocery store. I don't know how your father found him..."

"Him WHO?" asked Adrien, insistently.

"I need to talk with Ladybug's Kwami," evaded Plagg. "Maybe she knows something that I don't. And in the meantime, I think your girlfriend's waiting for you..."

Plagg watched as Adrien managed a slight grin. "Yeah, she is..." Adrien said. "And boy, am I ready to talk with HER tonight!"

"Why... is that?" Plagg asked, guardedly.

"Because I figured something out tonight, Plagg... something _really interesting._ "

* * *

Next time:

* A balcony chat before bedtime.

* Nathalie gets a checkup.

* Gabriel gets an idea... though perhaps not one of his best.

* "Heeeeere we go..."


	15. After a Brief Intermission

Let's Take It From The Top, Chapter 15: After A Brief Intermission...

* * *

A red-and-black blur made its way rapidly across the rooftops of Paris, zeroing in on the balcony atop the Dupain-Cheng Boulangerie, and shifting from red to lighter shades in a white flash of light as it reached its destination.

Marinette ran downstairs and encountered her mother first, sitting in the family kitchen. "How'd it go?" Sabine asked. "You don't look... Marinette, are you all right?"

Her daughter collapsed into a chair. "It REALLY didn't go well, Mom. Everybody's okay... but we almost had about five disasters at once, and we _did_ have _one."_

Haltingly, she described the showdown with Nathalie, how Chat Noir was nearly - "well, I don't know EXACTLY what that would've done to him, but I DON'T want to find out!", the bravery of Mylène, the explosion, Chat Noir facing off with Gabriel Agreste...

Sabine tried hard not to look as alarmed as she felt inside, listening to all of this. _This hero thing really ISN'T fun-and-games for them_ , she thought. _This is serious business!_ "No one was hurt badly?" she asked, tentatively.

"No... thank goodness... but Chat and his father were staring daggers at each other. I kind of played peacemaker, making sure that Chat got Mylène to safety and then talking with Mr. Agreste and Nathalie. Mom, I knew everything Adrien told us earlier tonight was true, but this was living proof! His father is Papillon, the one who gave me the Firefly powers! Nathalie is unstable, far more so than Adrien. It's not her fault, but oh, WOW is she dangerous!" Marinette held onto her emotions by a thread. "I didn't know what to do... so I took a chance and went to the one person I thought might have some answers."

"Who was that?" asked Sabine, wide-eyed with curiosity.

"I... shouldn't tell you?" Marinette stammered, apologetically. She closed her eyes, thinking hard. _If I'm going to trust ANYONE, my mother would probably be a good start._ "The Chinese gentleman who came here the day that you met Tikki? Hawaiian shirt? He ordered that big dessert platter?" she whispered. "And I was right! But THAT STAYS BETWEEN US. It REALLY REALLY has to, Mom."

"Not a word to anyone," Sabine swore. "Did he help you like you hoped he would?"

"He did. I don't think that _I_ was supposed to figure out who he was and that he was connected to this yet, but he was super nice about it. I don't blame him for being secretive. We talked about a lot of things, and I feel a little more comfortable being Ladybug now, but there's still so much to figure out." Marinette eyed her mother carefully, and could tell that she was upset but suppressing it. "And I am _freaking you out_ right now, and this whole week has been me dropping one ton of crazy after another onto you and Dad," she added in an apologetic tone. "Are you going to be all right, Mom?"

* * *

Sabine looked into her daughter's questioning eyes and despite everything else going on, she had to smile. "Marinette, I'm not even going to _pretend_ that I was prepared for any of this," she began. "My completely normal teenage daughter took in a stray boy, twice, who's a millionaire's son, he's secretly also a superhero, and SHE'S secretly also a superhero. I have my daughter's new boyfriend and two magic pixies living in my house, I've been zapped by a dinner guest, and all of a sudden magic and wishes and rock golems and ancient Chinese potions are all real. So if I'm freaked out, I feel like I've earned it, right?"

"Yeah." Marinette shrank down into her chair, feeling about six inches tall.

"BUT," Sabine continued, "I'm a mother. And a mother has a lot of jobs, but number one is this; to raise my daughter right. Some kids lie, cheat and steal, or smoke or drink or do drugs, or run around with bad people and get in trouble or get pregnant. MY daughter wants to make the world a better place. She sees people in need and she thinks 'How can I help?' A boy she barely knows reaches out to her, with nowhere else to go, and she reaches back with both hands, even when she thinks she might get in trouble for it."

"You know what that tells me, Marinette? That while I'm always going to worry, I don't NEED to worry. Because my little girl is growing up amazing."

The hug that followed was wordless and lengthy, and was exactly what it needed to be.

* * *

A *TH-BMMP!* on the roof announced Adrien's return.

"Something else I think I'll be getting used to," grinned Sabine. "Listen, honey... I will always be here for you, no matter what, and you know that, right? Go talk things out with Adrien, I'm sure that he needs you right now. But when YOU need an ear to bend, no matter what it's about, you come to me or your father."

"I will." With a bit more spring in her step, Marinette headed up to her room, and when she found it still empty, she climbed up through the balcony hatch.

Sabine watched her as she left, and took a deep breath. _CAN_ _I handle all this? I guess I have to,_ she thought. _But I know that she can._

* * *

When Marinette emerged onto the balcony, she found Adrien leaning over the railing, looking up at the stars aimlessly. "Hey," she called to him. "How did it go?"

 _This is going to be the hardest part of this whole dance,_ Marinette thought. _Pretending that I wasn't right there in the middle of what happened._

Adrien remained motionless. "Marinette..." he began, "everything went sideways. Big time. I don't want to drag you into this, but..."

He turned and watched as she sat down on a lounge chair and patted the seat beside her. "But you know that I'm already there, sweetie," grinned Marinette. "C'mere. Let's talk it out."

Marinette listened carefully as Adrien unburdened himself as best he could. She was pretty sure that she left no traces hinting that she was Ladybug, and that she kept proper track of what Marinette would and wouldn't know.

"So this is where we're at," he said, holding his head in his hands. "My father is Papillon, and he's waiting for my call. My powers are still flaky, and that's my fault. Nathalie's far worse off, and _that's_ my fault. My Kwami says he needs to talk to Ladybug's Kwami, urgently, and I don't know how they're going to do that."

"Why not?" asked Marinette, innocently.

"Well, you only see and hear Kwamis when the costume is off, right?" smiled Adrien. "That means I have to be around Ladybug for a while _when she's not being Ladybug_. How am I going to manage that?"

She stared at him. _Is he asking that straight-up?_ Marinette wondered. _Or is he hinting that he knows?_

* * *

About twenty feet straight down from where Adrien and Marinette were sitting, that particular problem was taking care of itself.

"Plagg, we _have to fix this_. Adrien, Nathalie, Marinette, her parents, the people of Paris, maybe all the people of FRANCE are in danger," worried Tikki.

"You don't think I _know that,_ Sugarcube?" grumbled Plagg. "This isn't my first rodeo with this. We are in big, _big_ trouble. What have you found out?"

"Well...," Tikki smiled, "Things are getting interesting. Gabriel Agreste met Master Fu this afternoon, and brought Nooroo. Marinette and I went to see Master Fu tonight."

"WHAT!?" Plagg sputtered. "We KNOW who and where the Guardian is? What are we waiting for?"

"For Master Fu's go-ahead," she cautioned him. "He's as stunned by all of this as we are. He's playing it really cagey with Gabriel, waiting to see if Gabriel can be trusted. And for now, he doesn't want Adrien to know that he's the Guardian or what that means, though he will need to meet him. Don't give me that look," Tikki added. "He didn't want MARINETTE to know that, either, but that mind of hers is like a steel trap. She figured out what she needed to in record time."

"Heh. That sounds about right. So Marinette's also keeping her secret for now?"

"Master Fu told her to. He trusts Marinette's judgment that Adrien is a worthy Chat Noir, but Adrien is such a wild card right now." Tikki shrugged her tiny shoulders. "Maybe Master Fu'll bring him into the loop once he and Nathalie aren't as dangerous. If Adrien's father knows, it'd be weird for Adrien not to."

"I'm trying to wrap my head around this. Gabriel just... _revealed_ himself and Nooroo to Master Fu? And vice versa?" asked Plagg.

"Kind of," Tikki backpedaled. "Gabriel knows how bad this situation is. He reached out for help, and when he found Master Fu, they both took a calculated risk. Gabriel doesn't know what a Guardian is - I think - but he knows about Wayzz, and that Master Fu knows a ton about Miraculous lore. For now, Gabriel seems trustworthy because he's helpless without Master Fu's assistance."

Plagg shook his head. "He might be helpless _with it_. Nathalie looked _nasty_ tonight. Adrien's not that far gone yet, but a couple more Cataclysms and that might start happening. And if they're both pulsing with energy like that, and they collide, well... we need to pick which continent we want to sink _this_ time."

* * *

"Tell me about Ladybug," Marinette asked, tentatively. "What's she like when she's with you? Do I have competition, mister superhero?"

"You're not really going to ask me that question, are you, Marinette? You know exactly who it is that I want," grinned Adrien, wrapping his left arm around her shoulders.

She liked the gesture, but remained a bit unsettled. _You didn't quite answer the question that I can't ask out_ _loud_ , she thought.

"Ladybug is... well, she reminds me a lot of you, to be honest," Adrien began, as Marinette's butterflies redoubled. "I don't know her all that well yet, but every time I've met her, she's been ready to help however she could. I'm pretty sure she saved my life tonight, when Nathalie came at me. She's... really sincere about everything she does. I mean that as a major compliment."

"Uh-huh..." Marinette replied, motioning for him to continue. _So far, so good._

"She's smart. She's really quick to figure things out on the fly. While I was all shaken up tonight, she helped keep my father and I calm, she got Mylène and I out of there, she talked with my father and I think she got through to him! That's NOT easy! You earn your way into his trust, he doesn't give it lightly, but he seems like he thinks very highly of Ladybug. And I do, too." Adrien took a deep breath. "I think she's precisely who and what Paris needs."

He looked into Marinette's eyes and winked. "She's also the second-cutest heroine in Paris."

Despite herself, Marinette jumped back a little and retorted, "SECOND-cutest?"

"Well, the cutest one's something _really_ special. She has wings, little pigtails sticking up like little antennae, a lightning power, the sweetest voice, the prettiest smile, the purest soul. She came to find me when I was feeling really low, when I needed help the most. I had a huge crush on her for days. And THEN," grinned Adrien, "she became my girlfriend."

Marinette's eyes went very wide.

"I didn't know you were Firefly when I met you. But I put two and two together tonight, and, well, _am_ I right?" Adrien asked, and got his answer when she melted into him.

"Let me guess. A little butterfly told you?" giggled Marinette, relief surging through her. "Yes, that was me! Papillon's first experiment. So I'm not TOTALLY apart from this superhero thing."

"If I do reconcile with my father, and all of this gets settled... I could ask him. Would you want to be Firefly again?" Marinette listened to him with more than a little wonder. "You were wonderful at it that day! You inspired me to be a hero, and not just a guy in a cat suit. I'd love for you to have another chance."

"Let's... get to that point and we'll talk about it, okay?" Marinette purred. "One step at a time."

She leaned in to kiss him and he leaned in as well, then pulled his right hand back abruptly. "Gotta be careful," he muttered. "I don't trust myself any more."

"Do you feel that... 'need' right now, Adrien?" she asked him, and when he shook his head 'no,' she snuggled up against his chest and wrapped first his left arm, then his right around her.

"Then this is who _I_ trust."

* * *

A short while later, the pair came downstairs together, and found Tom and Sabine together in the kitchen waiting for them.

"All clear?" Tom asked.

Adrien nodded. "Do you want a full rundown of what happened tonight, or just the highlights?"

"Only what you're comfortable sharing," replied Tom. "You have some secrets for a reason."

"I'll start with this, then," said Adrien. "We had some scares tonight, but everyone came away okay. I confirmed a lot of things that I needed to know for sure. And my father and I were face-to-face."

"Good." Tom's face showed visible approval. "And what happened with that?"

"We understand each other, as a starting point. He knows that I'm safe and with people I trust right now. I know that it's temporary. I'll be talking with him in calmer circumstances tomorrow, by calling him."

"Also good. I meant what I said earlier about that needing to happen. Now... were you just upstairs _kissing my daughter?"_ he asked, in a growly voice.

Adrien blinked with surprise. He gulped a little before responding, "Yes, to be perfectly honest, I was."

Tom glared at the comparatively tiny young man, momentarily... then his face broke into a grin. "All right, then! It sounds like all your priorities are in order. Good job, son."

Sabine chuckled, watching Adrien's face contort. "If you're going to be a regular guest here, Adrien, you're going to have to adapt to my husband's sense of humor."

Marinette debated whether to break into laughter or be completely mortified and hide in the refrigerator.

* * *

Sleep didn't come easily to the inhabitants of the Dupain-Cheng household that night... but it did come. But before it did, there was one thing that one of them really needed to address.

Marinette punched away at the virtual keyboard on her phone...

 **[Marinette] Hey, how are you feeling? Did Chat get you home all right? Are you okay?**

She waited for a response...

 **[Mylène] Yeah, I'm pretty good. I'm home and feel normal again. Tonight was so crazy!**

 **[Marinette] Are you alone, and can we talk this out for a minute?**

 **[** **Mylène** **] I am and we can. So what I saw tonight... on each of you... those WEREN'T from butterflies?**

 **[Marinette] They weren't. I'm trying to think of what I can say about this...**

 **[Marinette] Where the butterfly came from? That's on the same level as what we have. These don't wear off.**

There was a long pause, and Marinette held her breath a little bit.

 **[** **Mylène** **] I have around 40,000 questions.**

 **[Marinette] I bet you do! And I can answer at least five of them. A lot of this has to stay secret.**

 **[Marinette]** **Mylène** **, I know that I can trust you, you're a good friend. But I _have to know_ that you won't tell anyone.**

 **[** **Mylène** **] I won't! I get how big this is. Not even Ivan or my dad.**

 **[** **Mylène** **] Do you and Chat...**

 **[Marinette] I know his secret. He doesn't know mine yet. It's complicated.**

 **[** **Mylène** **] Wrapping my head around that for a minute...**

 **[** **Mylène** **] But you and Adrien are a couple now, right?**

 **[Marinette] Yep! :)**

 **[** **Mylène** **] I should have thought of that long ago! Kidnap a handsome boy and keep him in my house until he loves me.**

 **[Marinette] Hey! There was no kidnapping involved! HE came to ME. Twice!**

 **[** **Mylène** **] I know, I'm just teasing, and CONGRATULATIONS! That is so cool!**

 **[Marinette] I'm so happy for you and Ivan, too! I was wondering when that would happen.**

 **[** **Mylène** **] Can we get together sometime and compare notes?**

 **[Marinette] Absolutely! Let's figure out lunch or something this week. I have so much to tell you.**

 **[Marinette] And I am glad that I'll have someone like you to confide in.**

 **[** **Mylène** **] My pleasure. Talk to you then...**

* * *

A knock at the door roused Nathalie Sancoeur from half-asleep to mostly-awake. The light showing on the curtains indicated that she'd slept the night through without incident. "Come in!" she called, drowsily... and then her eyes flew wide open.

There were many things Nathalie had come to expect from her distinguished employer over the years... but breakfast in bed was not one of them. "Sir?" she half-gasped.

"Good morning! I thought I'd take the liberty of... Oh!" Gabriel realized some potential implications. "I didn't think... are you sufficiently dressed? I can put this down and go..."

"No, I'm fine, thank you," Nathalie blushed, mentally thanking herself for preferring conservative pajamas. Her eyes lit up at the sight of what was on the platter he'd brought, and she added, "What is all this?"

"One of many parts of my apology for the nightmare you're going through," soothed Gabriel. "But if I recall one thing about it for sure, it's that you've been quite hungry for more than Miraculous energy. Is this to your liking?"

A knife and fork flashing rapidly answered that. "Yes! Thank you so much, Gabriel," she said between bites. "This was very thoughtful."

"How are you feeling, apart from that? You had quite an ordeal last night," he asked, cautiously. "Did that herbal concoction seem to do anything for you?"

"It's hard to say, you know?" parried Nathalie. "I can't go back and redo the night without it to compare. I feel like myself right now, but when I'd... drained someone before, once I came down from the energy rush, I felt like myself then for a while. Then it came back. Right now, I'm hoping that bottle of whatever will help keep it away longer."

"Good. I do not want to put any stress on you, so consider yourself on vacation until further notice." He smiled and dismissed her silent protests with a raised hand. "The Jacobson contract is in good hands. Your health is far more important than the business right now. Obviously, keeping track of Adrien's schedule is something of a moot point at present..."

Nathalie shuddered. "This is... awkward. It's not every day that I try to kill someone's son and then they bring me breakfast."

Gabriel's eyes locked onto hers. "That was NONE of your doing. You asked for none of this to happen, and you were not in control of any of your actions. Put that far out of your mind," he lectured her, gently.

"Thank you, Gabriel," she replied, looking down. "So what is our next move?"

"I would like you to meet the mysterious Mr. Fu today, if you are comfortable with that," suggested Gabriel. "He would like to examine you... more spiritually than physically, he assured me... and assess what can be done to return you and Adrien to normal. Would you be up for that today?"

"Sure," Nathalie answered. "Better now, while I'm feeling pretty good, than when it's got me curled up in a ball."

"I will text him and make arrangements, then," Gabriel said, rising up from her bedside. "Enjoy your breakfast!"

"I will!" she called out, as he left her room. _Well, THIS is already a very unusual day,_ she thought. _And every indication is that that's just getting started._

* * *

Breakfast at the Dupain-Chengs' was somewhat less eventful.

Marinette ducked her head into Adrien's room, once she was dressed and ready. "Are you coming down... oh!" she began, but found his room unoccupied. _His clothes and belongings are still here,_ she smiled, _so at least we're not going through THAT again just yet!_

When Marinette padded down to the kitchen, she found her father finishing up his plate of eggs and smiling in her direction. "Good morning!" he called, "There's plenty made up, so dig in."

"Good morning, Dad. Is Adrien joining us?" she asked him, assembling her own breakfast on her plate.

"He's downstairs with your mother, minding the store. We got everything we needed to into the ovens for now, so he told ME to go up and take a break." Tom smiled warmly. "You're sure he's meant to be a model? I'll make a baker out of him yet if he's not careful."

"I think his father's got a little too much invested in him to let that happen," Marinette giggled. "But he's got the work ethic."

"Your mother told me about your conversation last night," he added, evenly. "Sounds like things were crazy out there, and you helped keep everyone in one piece. Are _you_ all right, Marinette?"

"I am," she replied. "So far, anyway. I'm making this all up as I go, but I feel like we're heading the right way as long as nobody gets hurt. We've been lucky so far, and apparently luck is what Ladybug is all about." She sipped at her orange juice. "Same question I asked Mom. Are YOU okay with this insanity, Dad? You've been so far beyond good to Adrien - to both of us."

"Oh, if you keep bringing home kitchen help, the bakery'll do just fine..." he offered, dryly, and laughed at the face his daughter made. "I think I'm on the same wavelength your mother is," Tom added, a bit more seriously. "I learned a long time ago to work with what I have and roll with whatever comes next. This is... well, how can ANYONE understand how this week went? It's beyond belief. But it's happening, and I can't change that... so I'm adapting. I'll help you if you'll help me."

He pointed to the floor, indicating the bakery kitchen beneath him and its current occupant, and said, "You picked a good one there, by the way. Take care of him."

"I'm very glad you think so," Marinette replied, a little bit surprised. "I mean, obviously, _I_ like him so much, but he _has_ turned all of our lives upside down..."

"Did he mean to?" her father asked. "I know he didn't. I've been getting to know him while he's been here, and I trust my instincts. He's a good person trying to figure out the impossible AND protect everyone else from it. And if you're going to keep doing this Ladybug thing, he'll be rock-solid by your side."

* * *

Marinette glowed for a moment, but then her face fell somewhat. "Dad... the 'Ladybug thing' is important, but it's also worrying me. I could use some advice."

"Oh? I'm listening," Tom replied, with serious eyes.

"So far, the only dangerous thing I've brought home on purpose is, well, Adrien. So far! But we've had a rock golem across the street, two accidents with Adrien's powers, battles in the streets of Paris, I don't even know if there ARE such things as 'supervillains' in France... I never want to put you and Mom at risk, and I feel like I'm doing that."

"Same question as with Adrien, then. Do you mean to?" her father asked. "Of course you don't. You are keeping your identity a secret, right?"

"Absolutely. I mean, one of my friends already figured it out, but I swore her to secrecy. I'm not going on TV and saying 'Look at me, world!'" Marinette assured him. "This is to help people, not to be a celebrity."

"Then I'm not worried. You're going to make me even prouder of you than I already am," smiled Tom. "And when messes happen, I know you'll clean them up."

"And there's one other complicated part of my identity... Adrien doesn't know that I'm Ladybug. The person who sent the earrings... he's insisting that I keep that secret from both Adrien AND his father. And I get that... but it's going to be really hard to hide that from my hero partner AND my boyfriend." Marinette laughed, quietly, adding, "And THERE are two phrases I didn't think I'd ever say."

"That could get messy, yes. Your mother and I can help you with that, of course, if you help us keep our stories straight. Can you _ever_ tell Adrien?" Tom wondered.

"I don't know. Definitely not while this powers thing is happening to him and Nathalie, and we're kind of keeping an eye on his father for now. He's being nice and helpful so far, but the Miraculous he has could cause all kinds of problems if he ever misuses it."

"Good to know. Let me know when and how I can help," assured Tom. "We're here for both of you."

Tom admired his daughter's appreciative smile and directed her, "Now go check on our junior _pâtissier_ downstairs. I don't smell any smoke _yet,_ but..."

* * *

Master Fu tried to appear welcoming as Gabriel and Nathalie entered his studio. _Once again, the fly offers hospitality to what may be a spider,_ he thought to himself, _and this time he's brought a walking time bomb with him. Living in interesting times..._

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Ms. Sancoeur," Fu offered. "I hope that I can help resolve this... problem."

"Nathalie, please," she replied, "and I thank you for trying, whether you can or not."

"For reference," Gabriel added, "Nathalie knows everything that I know about the Miraculous, so we need not hide anything from her. Or at least I will not; you, of course, may keep your own counsel."

"I see!" mumbled Fu, looking Nathalie up and down with practiced eyes. "That will save some time, yes. Are you feeling well at the moment, Nathalie?"

"Well enough," Nathalie answered. "There's... perhaps the faintest little tickle of the hunger, but I could be imagining it. For some reason, I've been just a little paranoid this week."

Fu set up a table for her to stretch out on, discussing the events of the night before casually, as he set about measuring her energies via his own methods. _It is as I feared,_ he thought. _Spiritually, she is like a tire with a slow leak that cannot be patched. I can keep inflating it herbally, but eventually it's going to rip apart... or explode._

He looked over at Gabriel, who seemed to be swallowing down his own nervousness. "So you did make contact with Adrien last night, I understand. Is he in similar straits?" Fu asked him.

"He appeared normal to me, or as normal as one can be prancing around in a black leather catsuit," replied Gabriel. "I asked about his... energies, and he snapped back at me and was evasive, so I suspect that's another of his concerns. We did not have time to exchange more than a few words before separating, taking care of the casualties."

Gabriel shuddered in his chair. "It was good to see him feeling well, but I could go a hundred years without seeing another scene like that. If not for the Ladybug girl, things might have been catastrophic." He hesitated before he leaned forward slightly and asked, "You wouldn't know anything more about _her,_ would you now?"

Fu stopped in his tracks and glared back at Gabriel; Nathalie's eyes flew wide open as she felt the tension in the air. "Mr. Agreste, we are not children. I believe we are both _perfectly_ aware of the potential and the danger of the Ladybug and the Cat," Fu growled at him. "If you believe that I would assist you in combining them, you are _gravely_ mistaken."

Seeing Fu's anger and wariness, Gabriel retreated, saying in a quiet voice, "I do not believe you would, nor would I expect you to. I am fully aware of the invocation being a monkey's paw _at best,_ and of the cost to be paid."

Fu continued to stare. "I did not hear you say 'and I would never incur that cost,'" he accused.

A moment passed in silence.

* * *

Adrien turned and watched the stairs as he heard light footsteps approaching. "Good morning," he called to Marinette as she entered the room; Sabine smiled watching both of their faces light up.

"Hi, Adrien! Good morning, Mom," Marinette replied, stopping briefly to peck her mother on the cheek. "Hard at work, I see?" she asked Adrien.

"Kind of. I don't know much down here, but I'm doing what I know," he replied. "I'm watching the temperature on ovens 1 and 2, the croissants are just about to come out of 3, and I'm working on more cookie roses while keeping an eye on those."

"You're impressing my dad with all this," smiled Marinette. "Among many other things. Mom, can we keep him?"

That got a loud laugh from Sabine. "I think a lot of that's up to him, don't you?" she answered as she moved to the front of the store, hearing customers at the door. "I'll let you two negotiate terms down here for a while."

"Call us if you need help," Marinette called after her, before returning her attention to her blushing baker-in-training. "So... what would it take to get you to stay for good, hmmm?" she teased him.

"The right look on your face," Adrien answered. "But you knew that, because you're showing it to me right now."

* * *

Gabriel gathered his will and steeled his posture. _I must say this most precisely,_ he thought.

"I did not say that... because I will not deny that I have considered it," began Gabriel, meeting Fu's gaze. "There was a time when my younger self read the tales of untapped power, heard the legends of totems of magical might and pursued them, on a whim. And he brought his wife along for the ride, because what could possibly happen? It would be quite an adventure, he thought."

"And, to our astonishment, we found part of what we sought. But it was my wife who paid THAT price."

Fu said nothing as Gabriel continued. "You find it curious, don't you, that a French fashion magnate should know so much about ancient Chinese artifacts, much less possess more than one? Part of that was youthful folly. The other part has been my spending every day since searching for a way to undo what has been done." The passion in his voice was obvious. "I do not seek money, or power, or world domination. I seek to restore the woman I lost via my own actions. And that is what my son wants more than anything else, as well... and that is why we are here now. Except instead of trying to save one life, now I must save three. Somehow."

"And to demonstrate some of my good faith..." said Gabriel, snapping open his attache case, "I have something to offer you."

Nathalie took one look at it and realized what it contained. "The BOOK! Gabriel, no..." she whimpered. "I know how much that means to you..."

Gabriel's eyes never left Fu's. "I have been studying this, in my own halting way, since the day I acquired it. I have tried to find some alternative to the Ladybug - Cat invocation, some other combination of Miraculous effects that might undo some of the damage done."

Fu said, quietly, "You have been searching for something that does not exist."

"And I agree with that," Gabriel continued. "I have found no solutions or even _partial_ solutions not involving the Ladybug. And THAT is why I brought her up just now. I suspect that you know more than you're telling me, but I understand completely why you would withhold that." He turned to his fallen assistant. "Nathalie, yes, this book is most important to me; it's the last thing Emilie ever gave me before what happened, happened. Its value is incalculable! But the man leaning over you has forgotten more about the Miraculous than we will ever know. If giving him this will help, it is worth it."

As Fu took the book from Gabriel, a flicker of Gabriel's previous stature returned. "I would _prefer_ it to be a loan, not a gift," he added, wryly. "But we can negotiate once the crisis has passed."

Nathalie remained goggle-eyed. "Can he - Sir, can you _read_ it?"

"Some of it. I could decipher perhaps half of the scans Gabriel showed me last night. I am astonished that he could read any of it, research or not." Fu processed the implications of all parts of this standoff, quietly. "Gabriel... I thank you for this, and I will take it in the spirit in which it was offered," he allowed. "I can do little right now, but now that I have examined your energies, Nathalie, I have a much better idea of how to proceed. I will need some time to research this."

"How long, do you think?" asked Gabriel, a bit too eagerly to hide his anxiousness.

"Answers come when they come. Perhaps hours. Perhaps days. I have prepared another vial of what I gave you last night... and I think it should help. But it is the last for quite some time, unless ancient ingredients start falling out of the sky," replied Fu. "I will text you with my progress."

As the visitors approached the front door, Fu stopped them. "Gabriel, time will tell whether we will ever be friends, or if we are on a road to conflict. But what you told me tonight was not easy to admit, nor was what you gave me easy to give. You have my respect. I do not give it lightly."

"The feeling is mutual... on all counts," smiled Gabriel, grimly, and they shared a handshake on the way out.

* * *

"GABRIEL! I cannot believe that you gave him the BOOK!" gasped Nathalie, in the car. "You spent a lifetime tracking that down!"

"And I have digital scans of every page at home. I have given him the form, but we both have the function. Give me some credit, Nathalie," Gabriel smiled. His face became more solemn as he added, "Make no mistake, that was a deadly serious game of cat-and-mouse in there, and I am not the cat. But this mouse does have some teeth and claws."

Nathalie watched her employer's eyes, carefully. "You learned quite a bit from him in there, didn't you?"

"I believe I did. Primarily, he had no denial that he knows of the Ladybug and its whereabouts, which means he's very likely the source of the heroine we spoke with last night. Does that matter? I do not know. Perhaps he can concoct some remedy that will save the day! But if he fails... the more I know about this Ladybug, the closer I am to what would be my absolute last-ditch solution." Gabriel's voice grew darker. "And there _will_ be _some_ solution in the end, one way or another."

Nathalie shuddered. "You will _not_ lose yourself to save me. I'm not worth that," she said quietly.

"You mean more to me than you know, Nathalie. And to save you, AND save my son, AND prevent what might be a huge disaster in the making? I will do whatever I must."

He went silent. Nathalie asked, "And what do we know about this Ladybug?", but got no immediate reply.

 _Where Chat Noir goes, the Ladybug seems to follow. She is a girl around his age. He trusts her completely. She is sensitive, thoughtful and highly intelligent. And there is the possibility that she is connected to Adrien as himself, as well._

The bodyguard sat behind the wheel, waiting for direction from Gabriel.

"Head over by Adrien's school," Gabriel directed him, coming to an abrupt decision. "I believe that I'm in the mood for some cream puffs."

* * *

Tom and Sabine smiled at each other as the flow of morning customers finally reached a lull. "Not bad at all, honey!" Tom admired.

"A very good morning! Though I wish someone would buy that flaugnarde, you spent too much time on it for it to go to waste," Sabine agreed. "I see the cookie roses flew out of here again. You have the croquembouche ready for the Bissets' order, right?"

"Ready and waiting," confirmed Tom. "The kids are packing up their other pastries now."

"Excellent! Then we..." Sabine trailed off, looking out the window. "...Tom?" she called. "Go close the door to the kitchen."

"Won't it get stuffy back there with the ovens going? Marinette and Adrien are frosting some more-"

"TOM. Go close the door to the kitchen, please," she repeated, insistently.

Dutifully, he walked to the back of the store and closed the door. "Is something wrong, Sabine?" he asked. "What did you... ohhhh."

He looked out the front window, where her gaze was aimed, and saw a distinguished blonde gentleman getting out of an expensive car at their curbside. His face and appearance were unmistakable.

* * *

In the kitchen, Adrien and Marinette were both busy, each grinning at the other and trying to keep their attention (and their hands) on the pastries and breads. They were reasonably successful.

The door closing behind her registered in Marinette's mind, but only slightly. _Hmmm,_ she thought. _We weren't making too much noise in here - no noise at all, really! I wonder what brought that on?_

"After we're done helping out this morning," she asked Adrien, "do you want to get out of here for a while? I'm sure you're feeling kind of cooped up."

"Where would you have in mind?" Adrien responded. "I'm up for just about anything."

"I don't know, I'm just throwing out ideas. Walk in the park? A little shopping? We could take in a movie."

"Heh," laughed Adrien. "The last time I went to see a movie was a disaster! I kept getting recognized and hounded for autographs - it was right after that one fragrance ad came out. I ended up going back there wearing a motorcycle helmet for a little peace."

Marinette sat her frosting pen down and struck a pose. "Radiant. Carefree. _Dreamy."_

"Ugh, you SAW that!" Adrien cringed. "I wanted to choke our writers for that one."

"Are you suggesting that you are neither radiant nor carefree?" teased Marinette. "And how could I _not_ have seen it? Your face was on half the flat surfaces in town."

"Such a horrible sight to see," mocked Adrien.

"Oh, I didn't say THAT," Marinette added, with a twinkle in her eye. "But I'll appreciate it more now that I know the person who's behind that pretty face."

A buzz on Marinette's phone interrupted the casual flirting. She snuck a peek at it, and gasped.

 **[Mom]** **Gabriel Agreste just pulled up in front of the shop. This is not a drill. Ask Adrien, how should we play this?**

"ADRIEN!" Marinette hissed, quietly. "Come over here, quickly! We have a situation."

He looked at her phone, jumped a little with surprise, and caught his breath. "Heeeeere we go..." he mumbled.

 **[Mom] ...Well? He's almost to the door!**

* * *

Next time:

* A Showdown at the D-C Corral.

* A turn for the worse.

* The Kwamis have their say.

* "Should we at least _pretend_ that things are getting back to normal?"

* "The decision is out of my hands now."


	16. When the Music Changes So Does the Dance

Let's Take It From The Top, Chapter 16: When The Music Changes, So Does The Dance

* * *

Tom and Sabine glanced at each other, a little uneasily, as the object of their worry reached the front door of the bakery. He entered quietly, with a small and enigmatic smile on his face.

 _He doesn't seem particularly agitated,_ Sabine thought, as she finished ringing up the other customer in the shop. _This could just be a big coincidence. And I could be the Queen of Sweden..._

As the other customer collected her purchases and left, the new arrival scanned the shelves and display cases casually, in no visible hurry at all.

"May I help you, sir?" Sabine called out, once it was just the three of them in the front room.

"I do hope so," Gabriel replied. "I came in with one thing in mind, but there are so many tempting choices available... where do I even begin?"

"Take your time, then. My husband and I will be glad to answer any questions you have," she added.

"Good! I was _hoping_ you'd say that," he answered, with a tight smile. "My son has told me all about your _boulangerie;_ he's stopped here several times and brought home some amazing cream puffs, among other things. It seems that he's taken _quite_ _a_ _liking_ to what he's found here, and I can see why."

"If your son is who I think it is, he is a familiar sight, and a welcome one. Would you be Gabriel Agreste?" Tom asked, from across the room.

"I am," said Gabriel. "And you would be Tom and Sabine, the store's namesakes?"

"We are. It's a pleasure to meet you," Tom answered, a trifle nervously. _A lot might ride on how I handle this conversation,_ he thought, and left it at that. _Let him make the first move._

"Excellent! I'd been hoping to meet the two of you at some point," Gabriel continued. "It seems that my son and your daughter are classmates this year at Françoise Dupont! It's his first public-school experience, and I'd worried quite a bit as to whether he'd fit in. He took an instant liking to... Marinette, isn't it?"

"That's her," Sabine replied, brightly. "Our one and only."

"He's had nothing but wonderful things to say about her from the beginning. As a new friend, she made quite the impression on him, and Adrien doesn't impress easily."

"Good! I've met Adrien here at the store several times, and I'm equally charmed. He's obviously a fine young man, and I hope they'll continue to build on that." Sabine snuck a peek at her phone, anxiously. _What are you two waiting for?_ she begged it silently, _we're flying blind out here!_

* * *

On the other side of the kitchen door, two teenagers were frozen in place, listening to the conversation and trying not to have panic attacks.

"How good are your parents at improvising?" Adrien gasped, as softly as he could. "My father's an expert at reading people. If he thinks they're lying to him..."

"They won't lie to him, but they WILL get caught by questions they don't want to answer!" hissed Marinette. "And we're heading for those right now! Should they say you're staying here or not?"

Adrien wobbled, unsure of what to say. He glanced at the back door to the kitchen and ventured, "Or..."

"I think you've done enough running away for one week, Adrien."

Her words stung him at first, but he looked into her eyes and saw caring there, not admonishment.

"If you're not ready, you're not ready. But I'm not letting you run off alone _and_ I'm not leaving my parents hanging," Marinette said, softly. "I can go out there holding your hand, or I can go out there alone, or we can text my mom instructions and wait here and see what happens next. I think those are our choices." She handed him her phone and added, "You can pick one or I can. But it has to happen now."

* * *

Gabriel wandered along the displays aimlessly, pondering how to proceed. _I do not wish to push too hard if I do not have to,_ he mused. _What I just said certainly opened the door for them to reply, "Why, yes, he's staying with us!" Which, obviously,_ _they_ _did not._

 _Could I have been wrong, and he is lodging with someone else? Or could these two be covering for him, simply respecting his wishes not to tell me? I could understand that, and respect it. Or perhaps he is here and these two simply do not know about it? With Chat Noir's powers, I would imagine that if Adrien does not want to be found, he has ways of accomplishing that._

"I'm thinking about a dozen cream puffs... my driver could not stop _raving_ about the last batch Adrien brought home. I barely got any myself before they were gone. That, and... is that raspberry mille-feuille? That looks absolutely divine! Certainly some of that. That opera cake looks equally delicious, but if I order everything that looks good here, I'll need a rental truck to get it all home." Gabriel smiled disarmingly as Tom's face brightened at the praise of his handiwork.

"You have a good eye for pastry, Mr. Agreste," Tom noted. "We'll get those bundled up for you..."

"Gabriel, please," he replied. "No formalities! If your daughter is as captivated by my son as he is of her, I sense that we will be getting to know each other _much_ better soon. And if my first impression of her was any indication, it is no wonder that Adrien seems entranced."

He watched Tom raise an eyebrow, questioningly, and continued. "Oh, I met your daughter the other day. An utterly charming young lady! Allow me to explain..." He watched both Tom and Sabine go to full alertness, and reasoned, _Time to speak most carefully, and see where it leads_.

"My son and I are having a... rough patch at the moment. He decided that he would take off on his own for a while, sadly not the first occurrence of that, and I have been combing the city for him since. Someone at his school passed on word that they'd been in contact with him, that he was all right and in a safe place, and so I came out to see what information I could find. And since your daughter was the subject of half of my son's sentences once he started school, she seemed to be a logical choice to contact."

"I'm sure that she knew you on sight," Sabine said, cautiously. "She has a talent for fashion design and many full sketchpads to prove it. I know that your company is one she'd hoped to approach one day, when she felt ready to pursue her career."

"Oh?" Gabriel asked, caught slightly off-guard. "We do keep an eye out for budding young talents; we have groomed some of our best designers that way! I would be happy to take a look at some of her work sometime, and see where her potential could lead her."

"I'm sure that she'd like that very much," answered Sabine, "once she recovered from the shock of being invited." They shared a small laugh as Sabine snuck another glance at her phone. _Still nothing. Come on, kids!_

* * *

Marinette watched Adrien's face as it ran through a wide variety of expressions. Panic, concern, and "Someone please teach me how to teleport away" were clearly among them.

 _I should just go out there, right now. I can spare them from getting picked apart like this. I owe the two of them that much,_ he thought.

 _But if I do that, am I blowing their cover, making it obvious that they've been sheltering me? That they're avoiding the subject? What would my father think of that?_

 _Is he unsure of what's going on, or is he just toying with them? I... I..._

Adrien's face abruptly went pale, making Marinette reach out to him. "Are you alright?" she whispered. "What is it?"

"My hand..." he mumbled. "The power... it's... _twitching_. It's getting worse all of a sudden, like a bad itch coming on in waves. I don't know why!"

Marinette did some quick mental math. "If Gabriel is here... Nathalie's probably close by, too. Maybe the powers can, like, sense each other?" she wondered.

Adrien gulped. "I can... run for it. Won't... fight with her here... wreck your place..."

"Nobody's fighting _anyone_ today. Got it?" Marinette guided him to a chair, kissed him on the forehead, and ordered him, "STAY HERE." _He looks TERRIBLE all of a sudden!_ she thought. _WHAT is going on?_

He watched with big eyes as his girlfriend took a deep breath...

* * *

"At any rate," Gabriel continued, striding towards the cash register, "I was _most_ impressed by Marinette when I met her. Her concern for my son, someone she had met only a week before, was obvious and sincere. If she is the same way towards him in person, it's no wonder that she charmed the socks off of him without even trying."

"Be that as it may... Gabriel..." Sabine struggled for a response, then was distracted by the sound of the kitchen door opening and a figure stepping through it.

"That concern, Mr. Agreste, hasn't changed a bit," Marinette said in a mildly shaky voice.

* * *

Gabriel didn't skip a beat. "Miss Dupain-Cheng! A pleasure to make your acquaintance again," he called over to her, warmly.

"Likewise, Sir," replied Marinette. "How are things going?" She walked over to him, trying to get Gabriel to face away from the kitchen door without making it obvious.

"As complicated as ever, I am afraid," Gabriel responded. "I am still waiting to hear from Adrien directly, though word has reached me that he is in comfortable surroundings."

"Oh? Who from?" she asked.

"From Ladybug, the superheroine, of all people! I knew she was watching over our fair city, but I had no idea that she was so thorough."

Gabriel looked Marinette up and down, carefully, and she tried hard not to squirm. _Plain black earrings,_ he thought, _not ladybugs... but, of course, a true Miraculous would be in disguise if worn._ "May I assume, from my phone's lack of ringing, that you have not heard from Adrien yourself?" he queried.

Marinette gathered up all of her remaining willpower. "Actually, Sir, I have... very recently. He had a story to tell about a very wild scene last night, and he said he'd seen you there, so I assumed that I wouldn't need to tell you what you saw yourself! He said that he is planning on calling you soon to discuss things."

"Do you know where he is _now,_ Marinette?" Gabriel asked, his voice remaining calm, but while bringing all of his formidable presence to bear on her. Tom considered interrupting, then stopped himself, unsure.

"I... do," she managed. "But I'm weighing that against his own wishes, how he told me he'd like to resolve things. I've texted him that you're here now; if he decides to come here, that's his own decision."

"I see..." muttered Gabriel. "And he is not exactly busting down the doors to reach me, is he?"

Marinette held onto her emotions with an iron grip. "Sir... I know how hard this must be for you, but can I ask you not to judge him too strongly yet? If even half of the things he's told me are true, about... magic and costumes and craziness in the city... I'd imagine that he's completely overwhelmed by everything that's happened. And I have some personal reasons to believe that they _are_ true. It's hitting him like _lightning crashing_ over him."

Gabriel stared at her with some wonder, and a hint of a smile. _Touche, little one! Only I would know that reference to Firefly's hidden power. You must have deduced my own secret as Papillon! You have a greater role to play in this saga than your brief turn as Firefly, I see._

He thought back to Ladybug commenting on his brooch the night before, and considered the girl standing before him now, seemingly unafraid, matching Ladybug in build and hairstyle. _Possibly a far, FAR greater role._

Tom and Sabine stood silently, unsure of what they could possibly add to this.

* * *

The front door of the shop opened, abruptly, breaking the tension. A woman in professional attire stepped through it, a bit awkwardly.

Gabriel turned to her. "Nathalie? Is... everything all right?"

"I don't know," she whispered. "It's... building again. Too soon. Too MUCH."

Quickly, seeing the distress on her face, Gabriel considered their options. _Something nearby is triggering her disorder!_ _If Adrien IS here... could his proximity be affecting Nathalie? If it is, do I dare even CONSIDER bringing him home right now?_

The look on the face of Marinette screamed out _Please don't do this here. Not HERE!_ as plain as day.

Gabriel moved to the register with smooth steps. "I think this will have to hold us for today. My assistant has just informed me of a pressing matter I must attend to," he noted. "Mrs. Cheng, could you ring me up?"

"With pleasure," Sabine replied, going through the motions as quickly as she could.

Gabriel looked at her, then at Tom with a gracious smile. "Your shop is absolutely marvelous, and I know that everything will be delicious. Might I assume that two people who take such exquisite care of a place such as this... would take equally good care of other things under their watch?"

Tom blinked, twice, then answered, "Absolutely. No one who comes through our door in need leaves unsatisfied, if we can help it."

"A job well done, then, as you've satisfied me and then some." Gabriel turned back to Marinette. " _Enchante_ once more, Marinette," he offered. "If there are new developments with my son, please do not hesitate to call. And if your fashion designs are as good as my son and your parents have described them... reach out to me sometime and we'll look at them together."

"I... I will," she stammered, overwhelmed.

With packages in hand, Gabriel guided Nathalie to the front door. "Until we meet again?" he called, with a regal smile.

"Hopefully soon, Mr. Ag... Gabriel," Sabine smiled. "Do enjoy your pastries!"

* * *

The door closed, and the family watched the sedan pull away from the curb. A few seconds passed in silence.

Tom scratched his head and asked, "That just _happened..._ right?"

Marinette took a series of deep breaths. "Yep, and I may need a change of pants. I did NOT... just stand up to Gabriel Agreste... _did I?_ "

"Not only _did_ you," her mother marveled, "but I think you impressed him when you did! You weren't being rude, you were presenting facts he needed to know."

 _And trying to hide one huge fact that he shouldn't,_ she thought. "Okay! So..." Marinette began, trying to regather her thought process. "Gabriel knows that I know where Adrien is... and the fact that he came straight here means he knows that that's here. But he seemed satisfied by that."

"He knows that? I mean, if he'd come right out and asked me, I'd have told him. I had no intentions of lying to him. But he didn't..." puzzled Tom.

"Tom, I think he could've plucked just about anything from us if he'd wanted to," chuckled Sabine. "He's a very clever man. He figured out as much from what we didn't say as what we did."

"Yeah," agreed Marinette. "I think we just passed a kind of test."

"Marinette... that woman, who came in after him... that was Nathalie, the one you were telling us about?" Tom asked, with a thoughtful expression. "The one who was caught up in Adrien's accident?"

"Yes... and she didn't look very sturdy right now. And neither did... ADRIEN! I have to-"

"Go to him, now," assured Sabine. "Make sure he's okay."

* * *

Marinette burst into the kitchen at high speed. Adrien was right where she'd left him, with Plagg hovering over him.

"Adrien! Are you all right?" she worried. "Plagg? You're out in the open like this?"

"Who's here to see me?" the Kwami shrugged. "And I had to be ready. If I'd had to, I'd have Cataclysmed the ground between him and Nathalie to keep them apart."

Adrien shook his head briefly as he regained his full senses. "You... can do that?" he marveled. "You WOULD'VE done that?"

"Never mind that now. How does the power feel?" Plagg asked him, insistently.

"Still... itchy? But not nearly as bad as it was a few minutes ago," replied Adrien, rubbing his hand. "That was... I was... dizzy, I couldn't think straight for a minute there. All of a sudden, it got stronger, and then it faded."

 _Dizzy like you were last night, when I pulled you away from Nathalie's grasp! But as Marinette, I shouldn't know that!_ she thought. Marinette gave Plagg a meaningful look, and the Kwami closed his eyes in frustration. "Plagg, it got worse when Nathalie was near him, and faded when she left, didn't it?" she asked, knowing the answer already.

"Of course it did." Plagg circled in close. "Adrien, listen to me and listen good. Marinette, you listen too. I'll need you to get a message to Ladybug, because _this is something Ladybug needs to know_ ," he hinted as broadly as he could. "Got it?"

"Got it," she replied, with increasing panic. _What could be so important that he'd even HINT at my other identity right in front of Adrien?_

* * *

As the car headed into downtown Parisian traffic, Gabriel focused his attention on Nathalie, who was visibly uncomfortable. "What happened back there, Nathalie?" he asked her. "You looked like you had seen a ghost when you walked into the bakery."

She shuddered, involuntarily. "The hunger intensified, suddenly. The longer I sat there, the worse it was getting. I had to get up and move around or I was going to scream! And then when I walked in the door, it got even stronger."

Gabriel frowned. "And now?" he asked.

"A little better. But worse than it was an hour ago. Much worse." Nathalie squirmed in her seat. "That... _pulsing_ feeling is starting again."

Their bodyguard glanced over at Gabriel, questioningly. "Now would be an excellent time to drive _faster,"_ Gabriel ordered, and the car promptly lurched forwards.

Gabriel went silent, consumed by his forebodings. _My son was in that building, I'm convinced of it. I could have pressed the issue... but to what purpose? The Dupain-Chengs seem like decent enough people; he certainly would not be mistreated there, especially since the girl seems highly protective of him._

 _"The girl." I can just say it now, can't I? LADYBUG is watching over him. She may well have fallen for him, unless I have misread her emotional state, and I do not think I have. I doubt that a better protector for him could exist._

The fundamental absurdity of the situation struck him, and for a moment he chuckled to himself. _I spent years trying in vain to track down the Ladybug Miraculous, and my son's charm has drawn its host to him in a matter of days! The combined power to reshape the world may be sitting side-by-side at their dining-room table, quietly asking 'Please pass the mashed potatoes.' Power that I could bring under my oversight, that I could influence, that I could..._

 _Stop,_ Gabriel ordered himself. _That kind of juvenile thinking is how you landed where you are today. How SHE landed there. You have far greater concerns than your fantasies of mystical power._

And yet a vision of a beautiful blonde woman, slumbering peacefully and unceasingly, continued to haunt his mind.

A groan from Nathalie roused him from his introspective state. _Focus on what is important now, Gabriel,_ he thought.

"Faster, if you can!" he snapped at the bodyguard, who grimaced and whipped the sedan around several slower cars. "We are getting you home," he said in a soothing voice towards Nathalie, "and we have the other vial Mr. Wang gave us. Perhaps it will help."

"And then what?" Nathalie murmured.

"We'll think of something."

* * *

Plagg looked more serious than Marinette had ever seen him. "It's as simple as this," he began. "Adrien, you and Nathalie _have to stay as far apart as you can_. You're going to feel drawn to each other, wherever you are, and the closer you are, the stronger it'll get. If I could put you or her on a plane to Timbuktu right now, I would."

Adrien tried to focus. "That's what caused the flare-up just now? That Nathalie was nearby?"

"It's going to get worse over time no matter what, but yeah, she was here and you both flared up. Just like last night, when she'd have killed you if not for Ladybug," replied Plagg.

"Killed me?" Adrien boggled. "I can be a pain in Nathalie's neck sometimes, but..."

"This isn't about who she is or was, or any kind of rational thinking, get that straight!" snapped Plagg. "She had no control over herself. That accident put some of my power into her, and it wants to recombine with the rest. It's overwhelming her! And it won't stop until it _does_ recombine."

"What happens if it does?" asked Marinette, very quietly.

"If the powers are under control, so to speak, it'd still be really touchy. It'd probably draw all of the power from one of you, _and their entire life force_ with it. We'd need a Guardian to monitor the process to have a chance of saving both of you, and even then I don't know what the loser would be like afterwards."

"But the powers aren't under control, are they?" Adrien said, in a resigned voice.

"Not even close," Plagg grumbled. "That... wild state Nathalie was in last night, when the energy was throbbing all around her? If she'd grabbed you like that, you'd be _dust_ now. And if YOU were throbbing like that, too, and the two of you collided..."

The Kwami trailed off, not wanting to finish.

"Say it. What would happen to me?" demanded Adrien.

"Not just to you. The magical explosion would take out you _and_ her. And everyone nearby. And probably all of Paris. And probably all of France. And maybe just most of Europe, if we're _lucky."_

"Is this just theoretical, or has this ever happened before?" asked Marinette, looking completely horrified.

Plagg sighed. "Ever heard of Atlantis? This is why it's not a tourist destination any more."

* * *

At the Agreste mansion, Nathalie gulped down the iridescent vial quickly. "Urggh," she complained. "Tastes worse than green NyQuil."

"Rest, please. Let us know and we will bring you anything you need," Gabriel soothed. He watched as she closed her eyes, attempting to take a nap, and left as quietly as he could. He paused, standing in the hallway outside her room.

 _This is presumptuous of me... but I have to know_ , he thought, as he pulled out his phone.

* * *

"What can we DO?" begged Marinette. "We can't let that happen. Any of it! I can't risk any of that, and I can't lose _him."_

"I'd rather not lose me, either," whispered Adrien. "Plagg, what can be done?"

"If I knew, don't you think I'd be doing it?" Plagg replied. "I talked with Tikki. She knows who and where the Guardian is. He may be our only hope."

"I see," Marinette said. "I guess I know where I need to go, then."

"I don't," parried Adrien, looking confused. "Who or what is a Guardian? And how are you familiar with him, Marinette?"

"I..." she stammered...

* * *

A sudden burst of noise from her phone distracted all three of them. "ADRIEN! Your father is texting me!" she gasped. _I'm not sure that I want to read it, but bless you for your timing!_ she thought.

She scanned the incoming messages quickly...

 **[Gabriel Agreste] I believe that we know much about each other that must and will remain unspoken.**

 **[Gabriel Agreste] But there are two more questions to which I must have honest answers. Can you do that for me?**

 **[Marinette] Yes, I can.**

 **[Gabriel Agreste] Is my son suffering from a disorder, a progressive hunger of sorts, related to a Miraculous accident?**

She showed the phone to Adrien, who nodded, silently.

 **[Marinette] He is. It comes and it goes. It hasn't gone out of control yet.**

 **[Gabriel Agreste] I assumed as much, and hoped that I was wrong. Secondly...**

 **[Gabriel Agreste] Did it get worse just now, during my visit, and ease off after we had left?**

 **[Marinette] It did. I'm guessing it affected Nathalie the same way? What can either of us do?**

 **[Gabriel Agreste] ...For now, protect him for me. You may be uniquely qualified to do so.**

Adrien read the message and asked, "What does he mean by that?", but did not get a response.

 **[Gabriel Agreste] I will investigate why Nathalie's affliction is worse than Adrien's.**

 **[Gabriel Agreste] For now, I believe it is imperative to keep the two of them apart.**

 **[Marinette] I can't say how I know that, but I agree completely.**

 **[Gabriel Agreste] Thank you. You are a remarkable young woman... but I've told you that before.**

Gabriel's precise words from the night before echoed in Marinette's brain. _Bye-bye, little secret identity, AGAIN,_ she grumbled. _Master Fu's not going to like this... but I have much bigger worries right now._

 **[Gabriel Agreste] I will remain in touch.**

* * *

Satisfied with the exchange, Gabriel retreated to his private office. "Nooroo... may I speak with you?" he asked, quietly.

The tiny purple Kwami floated out, visibly agitated. "Gabriel... this is... I don't know what this is turning into, but I REALLY don't like it," Nooroo whimpered. "This is getting really dangerous! Your assistant does not look good _at all_."

"I know that, and I fear that Mr. Wang's assistance won't be enough to fix it," Gabriel agreed. "That was the last dose of his makeshift remedy that he had available." He pondered what few options he had left. "Let me ask you something, Nooroo... I am told that Adrien is faring better with his side of this malady than Nathalie is. Adrien wears a Miraculous. Could that be part of the reason why?"

Nooroo floated in a small circle, considering that. "It's... possible?" he chirped. "Plagg would know better than any of us how to manage Cataclysm energy. He can't stop it, but perhaps he's providing some stability."

"I presume that asking Mr. Wang to let Nathalie borrow HIS Miraculous would be out of the question." The look on Nooroo's face gave him his answer. "Fair enough. Then there are a few other things I could try, if you think that either could help."

"And those are?"

"One," Gabriel ventured, "would be to send a butterfly to Nathalie, to 'power her up,' so to speak. To boost her energies, or even transform her into something temporarily that the disorder would not affect! It would involve cheering her up to the point where it had any chance of selecting her, of course..."

"...And I don't know what would happen if you did," countered Nooroo. "I could see how it might help... or with Miraculous energies already in flux around her, it could be quite unpredictable."

"Another would be to give her... you." Gabriel saw Nooroo's shock and replied, "Not permanently, I hope! But could hosting a Miraculous provide her with some stability, like Adrien's may be doing for him?"

Now Nooroo _really_ looked agitated. "I... I just don't know, Gabriel! My own powers interacting with Cataclysm are part of what caused all of this! It might help, or it might blow everything up that much faster!" he burbled. "I'm sorry... I don't..."

"Calm yourself, my little friend. This is why I am weighing options before attempting them," Gabriel reassured him. "I have a third option in mind, one that does not involve your DIRECT contact with Nathalie..."

* * *

Marinette considered the expression on Adrien's face, who was looking at her with growing confusion. "Do you two know something that I don't?" he asked.

She looked at Plagg, who shrugged. "He's YOUR boyfriend," the Kwami snickered.

"Before I answer that, Adrien... I need to check one thing." She pulled up her contact list and found the one marked IN CASE OF CHAT BREAK GLASS that Tikki had entered a while back.

 _"If you're in a spot where Chat agrees to being helped, you're alone and you're Ladybug, call that number. Hint that you're Ladybug and tell him what's happening," Tikki had told me. Well, I think we're beyond the hinting stage, but..._

"Do you trust me? I have an idea," she asked, and at Adrien's firm nod, she dialed the number. After a few rings, she heard a familiar voice say "Fu Wang's studio."

"Hello! This is Marinette Dupain-Cheng. I have a certain young man with me right now who I really think you ought to meet. As soon as possible."

The voice paused for a moment, then replied, "I agree. Be careful coming over."

"I will." She hung up and knelt down in front of the seated Adrien. "This person is someone that I think can help us. That time you zapped me by accident, his herbal treatments were part of what fixed me up quickly. He's a Chinese herbalist that my mom knows. Are you willing to let him look you over?"

Adrien replied, "I'll try just about anything once, and if you think that he can help... I could really use some of that about now."

"Do you feel up to transforming? It'd be faster if we went by Chat Express." She turned to Plagg and asked, "Would that be safe right now?"

"If he's up for it and he doesn't Cataclysm anyone, it should be okay. Just watch his right hand," Plagg said.

"I'll be careful with it. If I'm going to knock you off your feet, Marinette, I'd rather do it with my smile." With a grin, Adrien added, "Plagg, _claws out!"_

* * *

Inside the shop, Tom and Sabine did their best to calm themselves after the confrontation. They heard the kitchen door open, saw Marinette peek out to make sure that no customers were watching, then saw her dart upstairs, followed closely by a young man in a leather cat costume.

"Should we at least _pretend_ that things are getting back to normal around here?" asked Tom.

"It's worth a shot," Sabine replied, with a small shrug.

Through the front window, they saw a young woman approach the store's front door. She stopped abruptly, watching something overhead, then shook her head in disbelief. Slowly, the girl opened the door and walked inside.

"Hi there. Can we help you?" Tom called to her.

"Sure... My name is Alya Césaire, I'm one of Marinette's classmates..." she said.

"Oh, yes!" Tom responded. "She's told us a lot about you, and said you were a new friend of hers."

"I'd talked to her yesterday and said I'd come by today to check on her. I was going to ask if she was home, but..." Alya trailed off.

"...But?" asked Sabine.

"I could _swear_ that I just saw her carried off her roof at high speed by a... blonde catboy?"

Sabine didn't skip a beat. "What day is today, honey?" she asked Tom, in an even voice.

"Um... Saturday?" he replied.

"I think she just stepped out, but I'm pretty sure that Marinette only travels via catboy on Wednesdays. Can I tell her you stopped by?" smiled Sabine.

"...Sure," said Alya, haltingly.

After the door closed, Tom smirked, "Well, that didn't last long."

Sabine sniffed, "When _they_ start pretending, I will, too."

* * *

"Nooroo, tell me," mused Gabriel. "When the butterfly finds a host, it does so only partly from my own desires. I can guide it to an extent, but there are other forces at work. How are the _powers_ chosen for the host? Is it guided by my wishes, or by the recipient's nature? Or both?"

Nooroo hesitated. _This... this is a dangerous topic,_ he thought. _This is where hosts can figure out just how much power I truly manage... and how easily it could be misused._

"It... varies, Gabriel," said Nooroo, finally. "Much like the choice of recipient. You can guide it to an extent, but ideas in the recipient's mind often influence how it manifests. For instance, I doubt you'd planned turning a schoolgirl into a five-meter rock golem with dreadlocks."

"Not the first image that had popped into my mind, no..." chuckled Gabriel.

"But while the form she chose was unusual, the function was what you wanted. You wanted a sturdy messenger, someone who could not be ignored, who was protected from harm. And that is what the girl became," explained Nooroo. "So instead of pushing for a specific person or power, you'll often fare better focusing on a general idea and letting it manifest however it will."

 _Please don't pursue this too far, Gabriel,_ Nooroo worried. _Going down this path often leads to ideas like 'I grant you the power to increase MY power,' and nothing good ever comes from that..._

"I see. So if I wanted someone who could fight a raging fire, I might get a host with powers over weather, or to create waves of water from the air, or cold and ice, or to smother the oxygen around the fire... but any of them might be effective." Gabriel considered this, with a curious expression on his face. "I think that may serve my purpose just as well..."

"What do you have in mind?" asked Nooroo, genuinely curious.

"I'll show you! And I do think that you will approve. Nooroo... SPREAD YOUR WINGS!"

* * *

Following Marinette's directions, Chat Noir landed in an alley near Master Fu's studio, then transformed back to Adrien once they made sure they were alone.

"I'm still not sure what this is all about, my lady, but I trust you. We're close to our destination?" he asked her.

"Very close. I think you'll like... _Mister_ Fu. He worked wonders for me," smiled Marinette, a little nervously. _I raised some suspicions in Adrien right before we left... I need to watch my step here._

The pair emerged from the alley and knocked at the front door. Momentarily, Master Fu opened it, showing no signs of surprise.

"Hello, Marinette! It is good to see you again. This is the friend you had mentioned?" he asked, dryly.

"I am. I'm Adrien, Mr... Fu, right? Nice to meet you." He extended his left hand for a handshake, keeping his right hand behind him.

Fu shook his hand, then motioned for them to come inside. "You're not left-handed, are you, Adrien?" he baited the young man, as they made their way into the main room.

"No, I'm not, but that's, um, part of my problem. I really wouldn't recommend coming too close to my right hand at the moment. It's hard to explain."

"Show me, then." Adrien held his right hand up, and Fu's eyes lit up with recognition and alarm. "Oh, _yes._ Please come with me, young man. Immediately."

Adrien kept walking, mostly because Marinette was by his side and a gentle hand on his back was guiding him forwards. "I'm, um... sure, I will," he mumbled. "Do I need to fill out any kind of paperwork? Do I need a referral from my regular doctor? This is all so sudden..."

"Relax, Adrien. The only referrer I need is next to you right now," smiled Fu. "Free of charge. I do participate in the national healthcare system, but I also answer to... other authorities."

* * *

Papillon took the nearest butterfly into his hand, gently, then cast his awareness over the city, looking for just the right kind of potential host.

"Little butterfly, I have a special task for you this time," he said. "Find me someone brimming with positivity, a protective nature, a desire to heal. Someone looking to spread love and compassion in this world. Someone who will spread healing vibrations with a touch, or with a gesture, or with a thought. A soothing, mending, peaceful will to counteract the force of decay controlling Nathalie and Adrien."

It took some time and considerable concentration for Gabriel to settle on a handful of candidates. One in particular seemed... just right, but several had potential.

"Go, my little friend!" he called, releasing it towards his open window. "Bring me an ally who can dispel this curse... whoever they may be. Much like you are, the decision is out of my hands."

Dutifully, the butterfly took to the skies and fluttered out over the rooftops of Paris...

* * *

Marinette sat anxiously on a comfortable chair, one room over from where Master Fu was analyzing Adrien's current condition. She'd offered to help about a dozen times, in any way that she could, until Fu had good-naturedly shooed her to the main room to wait. "I will return him to you in just as good condition as he is now. Hopefully better," he'd teased her. She trusted him, of course, but that didn't make staring at a half-closed door any easier.

"I did the right thing here, didn't I?" she whispered, and Tikki rustled in her purse to let her know that she'd heard that.

"Absolutely, Marinette. Getting Master Fu to examine Adrien is _vital_ right now, and you did it about the only way I can think of. He's curious, but it all makes just enough sense to him that he probably won't put the pieces together just yet." Tikki gave her what she hoped was a soothing smile. "It's okay. This is what Master Fu wanted to happen."

"Do you think that he can help him?" Marinette asked, and in response to that Tikki wasn't quite as bright-eyed.

"I... I know that he will do as much as he can, with what he has here," the Kwami replied.

"That's not much of an answer," chided Marinette.

"It's what I've got right now, Marinette. We won't know until Master Fu's sure of what he's dealing with."

"I know, I know," Marinette replied, slumping down in her seat. "He's in the best of hands. But what if it's beyond his power? What if it's too late? What if-"

"YOU are doing everything that YOU can, and you know that," Tikki reassured her. "Think of what his life might be like right now if he hadn't landed on your balcony. If you hadn't taken him in... twice! If you hadn't given him all of the warmth and compassion and caring that you and your family did. If you hadn't been there for him last night! He is happy and mostly healthy and _not dead_ right now because of you, Marinette, and you should be very proud of that."

That got a smile out of Marinette. "So take a breath, calm yourself, and we'll know more soon, okay?" continued Tikki.

"Okay."

* * *

A rustle at the door sent Tikki flying back into Marinette's purse, in case it was Adrien coming in. Master Fu tiptoed out and sat by Marinette's side.

"How is he?" whispered Marinette.

"Sleepy. Very relaxed. I examined him thoroughly, and gave him... you could call it herbal sedation therapy, to quiet his spirit. He's getting some much-needed rest," replied Master Fu. "He'll be awake again in a few minutes."

"That's a good start, but what about his problem?" insisted Marinette.

"I now have much more information to work from," the old man said, which was a far cry short of the _He's fixed!_ she'd hoped to hear. "I've examined both Nathalie and Adrien now. As I expected, Adrien's condition is far more stable, mostly because Plagg and the Cat Miraculous are helping his energies as much as they can."

"So Gabriel did bring Nathalie here?"

"Yes, AND he brought me the Book of Lore that I'd spoken of! That was a very pleasant surprise. I didn't think he'd part with that without a court order," Master Fu smiled.

"Wow," Tikki whispered, poking her head out of Marinette's purse. "That says a lot about Gabriel."

"Or at least that Gabriel recognizes just how serious this situation is," Fu replied, his smile fading.

"Plagg gave us a rundown of how dangerous this is and how many lives are at stake here. That was quite an eye-opener!" worried Marinette. "Once I heard that, I had to get Adrien here as soon as I could, one way or another. Plagg also said you MIGHT be able to manage some kind of process to restore Cataclysm to its normal state, but that even with your help it could have terrible side effects..."

Master Fu sighed, slowly. "He has more faith in me than I do, these days. Understand this, Marinette. I promise you that I will do everything possible to - hey! Please be calm for me," he interjected, seeing her eyes start to well up. "It is not yet time to give up hope. I have what I wanted: the book, access to Adrien, access to Nathalie. I will do everything I possibly can to find a safe way to juggle all of these concerns... to restore Adrien and Nathalie AND protect the people of Paris. If such an answer can be found, I will find it."

"I know, Master Fu," Marinette managed. "But, it's just... Adrien and I have gone through all of this and found each other. It would be so unfair if..." she trailed off.

She leaned forward and accepted a hug from Master Fu. "With you by his side, his chances are much greater, Marinette. He is quite lucky to have found you. But luck is every Ladybug's secret weapon, is it not?"

A rustle from the next room caught their attention. "I think he's waking up now. You can go see him, if you like," offered Master Fu, which sent her flying through the door.

Master Fu sat down and gave Tikki a tired smile. "There really is hope, Master?" Tikki whispered up at him.

"Where there is life, Tikki, there is hope. You of all beings should know that well," he replied. "But the events of this week have run up quite a karmic bill... and it will take all of my strength AND a lot of luck to help keep _someone_ from having to pay it in the end."

* * *

Silvery wings fluttered over Paris, their diminutive owner wandering to and fro, seemingly aimlessly. Did it drift wherever the wind chose to take it, did it have a specific destination in its tiny mind, or was some combination of the two at work? Only the butterfly knew for sure, and it wasn't talking.

All at once, it still wasn't talking... but it _was_ diving.

* * *

Next time:

* Adrien could get used to waking up like this.

* Does the butterfly's desired host make house calls?

* "I could try to explain, but I wouldn't succeed."

* "Do we even HAVE another option?"

* Changes can be small... or dramatic.


	17. Finding Words That Reach The Soul

Let's Take It From The Top, Chapter 17: Finding Words That Reach the Soul

* * *

It was a marvelous Saturday afternoon, the kind that people with wineglasses in hand might choose to toast. The young woman was determined to make the most of it. Stretched out on her couch, her hair down from its usual high bun, comfortable loungewear adorning her slim frame, she relaxed and ran through her plans for the rest of her day.

 _Review this week's lesson plans; check,_ she thought. _They're going to HATE the pop quiz on Wednesday, but I'll at least drop a small hint about it beforehand. Laundry's done. I have yoga at two, I'm meeting up with Sarah and Emily for dinner, and that nice young man from the library said he'd be calling me later! He seemed very sweet. I hope he does call; I wouldn't mind spending time with him tomorrow and getting to know him better._

A faint sound by her window made her turn, and she saw a couple of birds fluttering away. A butterfly had startled them, it looked like... _And, actually, I can see why,_ she thought. _It's HUGE! Beautiful, though. Silvery wings, and they really catch the sunlight well! I don't know that I've ever seen one quite like it._

 _A very pleasant surprise... WHOA!_

She _definitely_ knew that she'd never seen a butterfly of any color phase right through a glass window before.

Wide-eyed, she stared at it as it flapped over to her and hovered in front of her. It seemed harmless enough, but clearly it was something far out of her knowledge and experience.

"What... ARE you, little butterfly?" she managed, reaching out a finger to touch it gently. With one wingflap, it edged forward and brushed against the gold necklace she was wearing, disappearing in a small cloud of sparkles... and a voice filled her mind.

"Hello, Caline Bustier," a pleasant voice said to her, seemingly from inside her head. "Please do not be afraid. You are definitely _not_ going crazy, before you ask. Can you hear me?"

* * *

Slowly, Adrien Agreste opened his eyes. He heard a pleasant voice calling his name, but at first he couldn't place it, and he struggled to make sense of his surroundings.

 _Something smells... really nice! Kind of... lavender-ish, but also like cinnamon. Like there are cookies nearby. Am I back at Marinette's?_

 _I could really go for some cookies right now._

 _I don't think that's why I'm here, though._

Slowly, shapes before his eyes began to resolve into meaningful things.

 _This is... definitely not Marinette's room. Very much devoid of pink._

 _I'm laying on something comfortable. A sofa or a bed, maybe. Or a padded table. It smells nice, too; kind of herbal._

 _That's a person, leaning over me. Of course it is. I see dark hair. Blue eyes. Pretty eyes! It is a girl! It's..._

 _..._

 _Thank goodness._

* * *

"Hello again," breathed Marinette, very softly. She looked a bit anxious, but she smiled brightly as soon as Adrien did.

"I think," Adrien said, sitting up slowly, "that I could never, ever get tired of waking up just like this."

Marinette blushed a little, and was about to reply when Master Fu piped up, "If that's so, I'm sure we could come to a rental agreement for that table."

Both kids laughed at that, breaking the romantic spell momentarily. "How are you feeling?" asked Marinette.

"I'm... it's hard to describe. Kind of blissed out," replied Adrien, with an unfocused grin on his face. "There's still a tingle in my hand, but it's less than it had been, and the rest of me is, like, _super-relaxed_."

"Good," Master Fu intoned. "That was the desired effect. Mostly, anyway. Whatever had misaligned your energies should be closer to normal now."

Adrien shook his head slightly, then made his eyes focus properly again. "I can't say that I'm sure what you _did..._ but it's hard to argue with success. Thank you, Mr. Fu!"

"My pleasure. Any friend of Marinette's is a friend of mine," he replied, bowing very slightly.

"So... now what?" asked Marinette. "Once I get him home, what can we do to help keep him... balanced, I guess you could call it?"

"Fairly normal behavior?" the old man shrugged. "Try to avoid unnecessary stresses. Whatever it was that helped trigger this, avoid it if you can. Watch out for snakes. Get rest, get sleep, eat well. And if things start getting out of hand again, you will contact me."

"Snakes?" Adrien wondered, looking puzzled.

"A tiny joke," grinned Master Fu, "to make sure that you were listening."

* * *

"I don't know _how_ I can hear you... but I can," Caline said, in an awed voice. "Who is this? Can you hear _me?"_

"I can. I am known as Papillon, Miss Bustier, and I mean you no harm. My butterflies seek out those who want to make a positive difference in the world. As inspirational as you are to your students, I can see why it was drawn so strongly to you! I am requesting your help in a very special mission, if you would be so inclined."

"Wh-what can I do? I'm just a schoolteacher! I'm not... I've seen some of the super-beings on the news lately, but I'd have no idea what to do about them. I'm certainly no fighter," she insisted.

"Fighting is the very _last_ thing I would ask of you, Caline. In fact, I need the exact opposite! I have two loved ones in the grips of a dark, corruptive energy. I seek a person compatible with healing powers, who can soothe their souls and free them from their pain and plight."

"That... doesn't sound so bad. How would it work?" asked Caline, more calmly.

"If you honor me by accepting my offer, a chrysalis will form around you, and transform you temporarily into an angel of mercy of sorts. You should be able to sense those in need, and I will direct you to the ones who need your help most through this link that we share. The powers are temporary, and once they've run out of energy they aren't rechargeable, so use them wisely. You can turn the transformation on and off by saying 'Transform me,' should you need to conserve energy or to resume your normal identity."

Papillon's voice was even and reassuring. "I do not want to disrupt your entire life, after all. I am hoping that this will be straightforward, but these things are rarely as simple as planned."

Caline thought for a moment. "I'm imagining this. I could really... heal people? Repair injuries? Cure diseases? Just how far can it go?"

"THAT, I cannot tell you for sure. I have never tried anything like this before." said Papillon, apologetically. "Some of it will depend on how the powers manifest with you. Some, on the limits of my own power, and those I have not yet tested adequately. We will have to test it on the fly. Will the power be enough to accomplish what I ask of you? I am not sure. But my need is so overwhelming that I humbly beseech you to try."

The young woman was silent.

"This is completely voluntary, you do understand? I would not ask you to do this without your consent. I do not expect any danger, but still..."

"I understand. If I can be of help and heal people, Papillon, I'll do it," she replied, before she could let herself change her mind.

"Bless you! All right, then. Chrysalis... FORM!"

* * *

Marinette and Adrien left Master Fu's studio in better spirits than when they'd arrived. "On the plus side, now you know where this is, in case you need another session," Marinette said, hoping that that wouldn't be necessary. _I'm not sure how I got him through this without blowing his identity or mine,_ she thought, _but I think it worked!_

She looked closely at Adrien; his pupils looked far less dilated, but he still had a silly grin on his face. "I'm going to guess that we should walk home," she grinned. "Somehow you don't look like you're up for leaping tall buildings right now."

"If you're sure," Adrien replied. "I can think again now, at least. Whatever he uses really packs a punch!"

"Yeah, well, so does what's wrong with you and Nathalie," grimaced Marinette, "and if that's toned down for now, that's the big thing. How is your hand doing?"

"I'm pretty confident that it's okay at the moment," said Adrien.

"Like... touch-me-with-it confident, or it's-not-going-to-blow-up-France-today confident?" she wondered, raising an eyebrow.

Adrien's face fell, somewhat. "It's not going to blow up France today; that much I know for sure. But I _will not_ take chances with it if I have any doubts. Nearly killing people I care about is not going to be my trademark."

"Oh, I didn't mean it like _that,"_ exclaimed Marinette, as she snuggled up next to him. "I _know_ that you're being careful, Adrien. I just need to know where _I_ can touch safely."

Her words hung in the air momentarily, and both of them turned red. "I did _not_ mean it like _THAT,_ either!" Marinette blushed.

"I know you didn't! I... um... can we get moving?" stumbled Adrien.

"Y-yeah!" gasped Marinette, and the two hurried down the sidewalk, doing their best to ignore the sound of Plagg in Adrien's pocket laughing his tiny head off.

* * *

The silver energy chrysalis burst after a moment... and even Papillon was taken by surprise by the metamorphosis.

A white-clad figure stood there, with patches of blue around her shoulders and upper chest. A hooded cloak swept around her in a faded brown, with only a white domino mask and bright eyes visible within the hood when it was pulled forward. The hood came to a point above her face, almost resembling the beak of a bird.

"Welcome... Nightingale!" declared Papillon, impressed with his handiwork. "How do you feel?"

"This is... remarkable!" Nightingale beamed, examining herself in a nearby mirror. Her voice was deep and resonant, almost seeming to take physical shape in the air, quite different from the slim teacher's normal tone. "I've never felt anything quite like this! It's like I'm... bursting with life, inside, supercharged with energy!"

"Good! Concentrate on the energy. Let it flow through and around you..."

She did so, and didn't notice that she was floating in mid-air for several seconds, gasping with delight when she did! The cloak served as a gathering mechanism for the energy aura around her, and by manipulating it, she could glide through the air smoothly as if using it as wings.

"When you said that I'd become a sort of angel... I thought you were speaking metaphorically," Nightingale marveled. "This is unreal! I'm really FLYING!"

"Let us see if the second part of 'angel of mercy' is just as potent, shall we?" smiled Papillon. "I am anxious to learn how your healing abilities may work, and of just what they are capable. Why don't you go test them out a bit, and get in a little practice?"

Once no one was looking, she slipped out onto her patio, then took to the skies...

* * *

When the teens returned to Marinette's house, they went in through the front door, going through the bakery.

"How are you doing, Adrien?" asked Tom, with a concerned expression. "Are you all right with how that went just now?"

"I am, thank you," Adrien replied. "It was a bit... startling, of course, and I'm sorry that I didn't give you more guidance... When Nathalie got close to me, the powers thing started affecting both of us, I think. I know I was really shaky, and I was ready to run out the back door if I had to! Whatever would've happened if we confronted each other again, I didn't want it happening in _your house_!"

"Oh, we were _fine,_ and your thinking of that is appreciated," Sabine answered, probably more tactfully than honestly at first. "He seemed like a nice man. We were just anxious about making a good first impression, especially with... the situation we have."

"I know, and you all did just fine, from what I heard. You've all been so kind to me while I've been here, beyond anything I'd have dreamed of, but this has been hard on all of you," said Adrien, looking serious.

"It hasn't been without benefits. We've gotten to know a wonderful young man, for instance. And watched our daughter be as happy as we've ever seen her," Tom noted.

"I'm glad. But I think I need to go make a certain long-overdue phone call right now," Adrien said.

"Good," said Tom, simply. "After that, I think we have the bakery pretty much set for the day. Everything got out of the oven in good condition, even with the distraction, so you two can have the day to do whatever you like."

"Cool! Thank you," grinned Marinette, as the two made their way up the stairs.

Once they were out of the room, Tom chuckled in Sabine's direction. "'A nice man,' you say?"

"Well, he was," shrugged Sabine. "Though I'm sure he can be quite the intimidator when he wants to be. But it seemed like he didn't come here to challenge anybody... more like checking up on his son once he figured out where he was."

"And I can't fault him for that," agreed Tom. "A good development. We're from such different worlds, though..."

"He helped raise someone as down-to-earth as Adrien is. How different can he be?" asked Sabine.

"Heh! Fair enough," Tom replied.

* * *

Upstairs, Marinette looked worried. "When you said 'phone call,' you meant..."

"Yeah, that," Adrien confirmed. "I've done enough running AND hiding for this week."

"Do you want me to be there?" she asked him. "I mean, not on speakerphone, but I can be moral support..."

"It'll be fine," assured Adrien. "We're just going to make sure we're on the same page again. If I need you, I'll call for you, but this needs to happen."

"I know." Marinette gave him a squeeze, then headed for the door. "I'll be in my room, whenever you need me."

"Always," he said, making her blush and grin, and then he was alone.

Adrien pulled out his phone and stared at it momentarily, gathering up his willpower. _This needs to happen,_ he thought, and opened his contact list and dialed.

After a brief interval of ringing sounds...

"Hello, Adrien."

"Hello, Father."

* * *

Above a local park, a young woman struggled to convince herself that what she was experiencing was indeed real.

 _I am FLYING!_ Nightingale thought, bubbling over with giddiness. _All I have to do is think and this... magic around me does the rest! This is all completely unbelievable... but it's difficult to argue with empirical evidence!_

 _I am SO not going to make it to yoga class today._

 _Focus, Caline,_ she reminded herself. _This isn't just for recreation. Papillon has a job for me to do like this, and he told me to go out and get some practice and figure out how the powers work. Now, how am I going to do that?_

She pondered her options. _I mean, I'm not going to hurt someone just so that I can heal it. I could go down to a local hospital, perhaps, and if they don't throw me straight into the psychiatric ward I could try and work with some of the patients there..._

The sound of a child's crying caught her newly sensitive ears, and she glided silently in that direction. _That sounds like a problem in progress,_ Nightingale reasoned. When she got closer, she found two girls, probably sisters, perhaps ten and eight, the younger of whom had fallen off of her bicycle and skinned her knee.

 _Here goes nothing._ "Er... hello there!" she said, and watched the girls whirl around and recoil from her. "Hi! Please don't be afraid! I know I look unusual, but I'm here to try and help. You can call me Nightingale."

"Um... hi, Nightingale?" the younger girl whimpered, eyes huge and still full of tears, trying to figure out how and from where a five-foot bird lady had just appeared.

"What's all that racket?" an adult voice called from a nearby window.

"...Mary slipped off her bike and skinned her knee and now there's a giant bird lady here watching us," the older one called back, hesitantly.

There was a pause, then the voice called back, "Whatever," making Nightingale smirk. _Responsible parenting at its best!_ she thought. "Mary, is it? Listen. I'm... I'm supposed to have some kind of healing powers, so can I see if I can help your knee any?" she asked the child, very gently.

Mary looked Nightingale in the eye, figured _I GUESS she's serious...,_ and managed "Okay. Just don't hurt me."

"I wouldn't think of it. Let me see..."

Nightingale thought, _Papillon? Are you listening?_ but got no response. _When that weird energy isn't in front of my face, I guess he's not 'tuned in' all the way. Okay. What should I try? Do I need to touch it? Can I do it from a distance?_

She extended her hands towards the wounded knee, like a magician casting a spell... with no visible results.

 _That's not_ it, she thought. _Hmmm. Papillon said that the powers tend to reflect the person who has them. What does a nightingale do? Sing? Evidently Papillon's never heard me at karaoke night!_

 _But... my voice DID sound very unusual once I transformed. And I am someone deeply familiar with language, and with poetry, and with the power of words to shape the world around them. Could it be... Let me think. What would a child find to be inspiring and healing?_

Nightingale closed her eyes and said, in a rich and melodic voice:

 **"You are braver than you know... and stronger than you seem... and smarter than you think."**

She felt a strange energy in her throat as she spoke, manifesting itself in the air in front of her... and she heard a gasp from the girls. Opening her eyes, she saw that the bleeding had stopped and the skin on Mary's knee had started to knit itself together!

"WOW! How did you do that?" Mary's sister bubbled. "Can you do it again?"

"I can try," Nightingale smiled. With a bit more confidence, she intoned:

 **"You're off to great places! Today is your day! Your mountain is waiting... so get on your way!"**

Mary's tears stopped, and were replaced with pure wonder. "It stopped hurting!" she marveled. "Look!"

The three examined her wounded knee, and found no signs that it had ever been scraped in the first place.

"Well, you heard me!" grinned Nightingale. "If you're feeling better, go have some fun, have an adventure together!"

"We... will! Thank you so much!" called Mary, as the mysterious figure glided away with a wave. She turned to her sister and said, "Mom is NEVER going to believe this."

"What else is new?" her sister replied.

* * *

Gabriel composed himself, stilling the variety of emotions battling for control of him at that moment. "It is very good to hear from you again, son. Are you well?" he began.

"I am. As well as I can be, given all this. I am so, so sorry that all of this has happened..." Adrien responded, sounding a bit choked up.

"Do not worry about that right now, Adrien," Gabriel made himself say. _Keep him calm, keep him talking,_ he thought. _I do not want to scare him off again._ "The important thing is that I know that you are safe and cared for. Was I... correct in my educated guess as to where you are staying?"

"You were," admitted Adrien.

"Good. I find it hard to believe that they would treat you anything other than quite well. They seemed like highly decent parents and people, and I greatly appreciate their taking care of you temporarily."

"Oh, they have been," Adrien confirmed. "Considering how I kind of fell into their laps and turned their worlds upside down, they've been nothing but good to me. Very understanding, very generous, very fair."

"How did you decide on that household, by the way?" wondered Gabriel. "I am aware that you were already quite fond of their daughter, but I did not think that you were particularly close with her on the night that you disappeared..."

Adrien gulped. "Well, I wasn't completely in a stable frame of mind..." Haltingly, he described his perspective on the night of the accident: how he'd overheard Gabriel and Nooroo talking, investigating the safe and the computer, meeting Plagg, the temptation of the combined Miraculous power, the explosion...

"I never meant to hurt Nathalie, or anyone else. Not even for a second. I just... I didn't realize... that it was all REAL..."

Gabriel heard Adrien start to break down, and responded instantly. "No one believes that you _did_ mean to hurt anyone, Adrien," he soothed. "No one has _ever_ thought that. Certainly not me, certainly not Nathalie. She has forgiven you for your part in what happened, and she was out of her head during that... confrontation last night."

"Is she doing okay? How is she?" Adrien asked, nervously.

"She is... stable, for now. Much like yourself, I suspect, she has good times and bad times. At present, she is somewhere in between."

Gabriel paused, then added, wryly, "You know, you _could_ have come out this morning and said hello. I was not there to snatch you by the ears and drag you out of the building..."

"I... wasn't sure about that," Adrien confided. "If things would've become uncomfortable, or worse, I wasn't going to do it in the Dupain-Chengs' house. They've been far too good to me for that."

"That was never my intent! I hope that you know me better than that, Adrien! I have always favored subtlety and persuasion over force. Besides, what would I have shouted in anger? 'How _dare_ you take my son in, feed him, and keep him warm and safe?'" retorted Gabriel.

He let out a loud sigh. "In point of fact, given how you and Nathalie reacted to each other today, for the moment I think it's prudent that you _do_ continue staying with them. Which sounds insane for me to say - of _course_ I want you home with me! - but I also need both you and Nathalie to remain healthy. I am working on something that might help that."

"I am, too, kind of... Marinette knew of a Chinese herbalist who'd helped her once, and I saw him today. He gave me some kind of treatment that seemed to help quite a bit," added Adrien.

Gabriel paused, surprised, and then suppressed an audible laugh. _Of course she did, and of course she would take him there!_ he thought. _And good for them! It can only help._

"I know exactly of whom you speak, and I believe you were in very good hands. He's probably the same Chinese gentleman who has been helping Nathalie," he smiled.

"Really? Huh! Small world, I guess," Adrien mused.

Gabriel brought himself back to the present. "I _do_ wish that you had contacted me before _now,_ of course! Especially with the gravity of the situation we have all found ourselves in... but, for now, let us concentrate on moving forwards."

"I..." Adrien stammered. "When I learned more about the Miraculous, and what they are capable of, and what horrible things might have happened if my 'wish' HAD been granted... I didn't know what to think about you, or them, or what you wanted to do with them."

"Adrien... I can say that I have _been there,_ what you were thinking about that night. You don't think that I have nightmares every night over my role in all of this? Over the temptation that the Miraculous present? Especially now that the Ladybug Miraculous is out in the open?" Gabriel closed his eyes as he spoke. "I did not share any of this with you because I had hoped that I could simply keep it all locked away, hidden from the world. Unfortunately, my son is far too clever to allow that to happen."

He took a deep breath and continued. "You should have trusted me, son. It's important for you and I to be able to trust each other. If you were to begin hiding the truth from me, then I would naturally start imagining all kinds of things... and that is exactly how _you_ responded to your discoveries. Which is a lesson for both of us. We will have to have a long talk about certain things when you return... but I understand. I promise that I do."

"Thank you, Father," Adrien replied, quietly.

* * *

Marinette huddled up in a ball on her bed, nervously. _I WILL NOT eavesdrop, I WILL NOT eavesdrop,_ she told herself. _He and his father really, really need to reconnect, no matter what. I WILL NOT..._

Her phone distracted her, with an incoming call from Alya. _Well, this is as good a time as any to get that ball rolling,_ she smiled, and picked up. "Hi, Alya!" she said, brightly.

"Hi! Is this a better time to talk than last night?" Alya asked.

"Yeah, it is! I'm alone now. What's up?"

"Oh, just about EVERYTHING, that's all! Oh, my gosh, this week has been so crazy that I've been _dying_ to catch up with you about it! We have a whole _set_ of superheroes in Paris now: Firefly, Chat Noir, Ladybug, Dreadnaught, _whose hair was just like Mylene's but don't tell her I said that,_ I'll have to ask her, anyway, plus this mystery villain from last night..."

"Well, 'hero' and 'villain' might not be the right words to use, exactly. I mean, if they-" began Marinette.

"...so now I don't know WHAT to call the blog I started about them, it could be the Firesignal, the Chat Cafe, the Ladyblog..."

Marinette grinned and went quiet. Even from just a short time knowing Alya, she was aware that when Alya got excited about a topic like this, there wasn't much that could hold her back.

"...do you think they'll get a team name? Anyway! Plus YOU'VE got a brand new mystery man in your life, and I will drag every last bit of dirt about that out of you, even though I think that I _know_ who he is, and I'm dying to hear THAT story..." continued Alya. "And then there's this _new_ thing from just a little while ago!"

"Oh? What's that?" asked Marinette.

"Well, I stopped by your house to see if you were home today..."

 _Oh, no,_ Marinette thought, _I see where this is going. It depends on what time she was there..._

"I can explain, Alya..."

"...and I saw YOU up on your balcony, in the arms of a certain blonde _catboy_ , being carried off across the rooftops!" finished Alya, triumphantly. "Any comment on that?"

"I..."

Marinette stopped to think about it for a moment. _What the heck CAN I tell her?_ She thought, and thought, and thought... and then burst into uncontrollable giggles.

"Marinette?" asked Alya, feeling confused.

"I could try to explain, Alya... but I wouldn't succeed," managed Marinette, once she caught her breath. "This week has been about three miles past crazy and I have nothing I can add to it."

"Nothing?" Alya laughed, a bit stunned. "I mean, let's start with the basics. I wasn't hallucinating, right? That was Chat Noir today?"

"It was. I've met him, obviously. He's a sweetie. I had somewhere that I needed to get to and he was my taxi," Marinette offered.

Alya paused for a moment. "You're holding out on me, girl," she accused. "What are you not telling me? Is HE your mystery man?"

"Well, there's a lot about him that's a mystery... but he's not the one I was curled up with last night. Adrien was."

"YES! I was so sure you two were perfect for each other!" crowed Alya. "I was afraid he was going to spend all year pining over you, making you gifts, trying to get up the nerve to talk to you..."

"Oh, come on, Alya," scoffed Marinette. "Who would do THAT?"

The girls giggled their way through a continuing conversation that, while Marinette had to be wary of what she did and didn't say, did take her mind off of what was going on in the next room.

* * *

"Now, as for your new lady friend..." Gabriel intoned, leaving that hanging in the air.

"...Yes?" asked Adrien, nervously.

"Might I just say that you have impeccable taste?" grinned Gabriel. "I've met her a handful of times now, and she's impressed me very much each time. You have my complete blessing."

"Well... uh, wow! I'm sure glad to hear that," Adrien said, breathing a sigh of relief. "You came to that decision pretty quickly..."

"Her concern and compassion for you could not be more obvious. And from what you've told me, that was true even _before_ she got to know you better," explained Gabriel. "She was nervous around me each time - and why wouldn't she be? I'm a millionaire fashion mogul _and_ her new boyfriend's father. Yet she overcame it with grace and will. She could easily have caved in and told me all that I wanted to know, _or_ lied to my face to protect you. She did neither; she balanced both our wishes, and soothed my nerves while still giving you the shelter you desired."

"That's my girl," replied Adrien, simply.

"I had hoped that when you came of age, you would find a strong and soulful woman like your mother, and not settle for just a pretty face or a model. I'm pleased to see that we raised you well in that respect," his father smiled. "Not that Miss Marinette is at all hard on the eyes, of course! And rumor has it that she has budding fashion design skills, as well?"

"I'll be happy to introduce you properly... once we get past all of this," Adrien promised. "If we do."

"Speaking of which... where do you plan to be around four o'clock today?" asked Gabriel.

* * *

The look on Adrien's face was goggle-eyed surprise. "Why do you..." he began.

He heard a noise at the door, and saw Marinette, peeking in on him. _Are you still okay?_ she mouthed, silently, and he motioned her to come in. "Why do you want to know where I'll be around four o'clock?" finished Adrien.

"I will not be there personally... but I plan on sending an emissary to meet you. Or, rather, Papillon will," explained Gabriel. "I have prepared a very special host whom I hope may be a key to resolving this crisis. She has healing powers, and if your... problem is relatively calm right now, perhaps she can help bring it under control more permanently."

"Where will she be?" asked Adrien.

"Where would you like her to be? I am giving you advance notice so that she will not catch you by surprise. You can choose whether to appear as yourself or as Chat Noir, in a place of your choosing, and I will direct her accordingly. And if you wish for either of your lady friends to be there, that is at your discretion."

Adrien looked even more surprised, if that was possible. "Either?" he asked, flashing a quick _I don't know what he's talking about_ look at Marinette.

"I would guess that Adrien would wish for Marinette to accompany him, while Chat Noir might ask Ladybug. Would that not make sense?" Gabriel replied.

"Hmmm. That's a good point... I'll think on that. I can't contact Ladybug directly, but I can get word to her if I need to," mused Adrien.

Marinette tried not to make a face at that. _He still doesn't know,_ she thought. _I hope I don't have to keep these lives of mine separate from him forever..._

On his end of the phone, Gabriel also found Adrien's response quite interesting. _HE doesn't know?_ he wondered. _Could I be wrong about the connection? Or is Marinette even craftier than I had imagined?_

* * *

Adrien scratched his head, idly. "Let me make my mind up, quickly... it's about one-thirty now... and I'll text you with the who and when and where, okay?"

"That is fine," agreed Gabriel. "Expect that a flying woman in a bird suit will meet you. Yet another in the list of sentences I never thought I would say aloud."

They both got a short laugh out of that. "This whole thing really is as crazy as it seems, isn't it?" added Adrien.

"It is. It is not something I would have chosen for you..." replied Gabriel, looking a bit wistful, "...but, again, my son is too clever to keep things from him. And in all other circumstances, that is something I remain proud of."

"That means a lot to me," smiled Adrien. "I'll be in touch shortly."

He hung up, then fell back on his bed, exhaling loudly. "Whew! I feel like I just gave birth. To an elephant," Adrien muttered.

Marinette sat down next to him and rubbed her hand on his shoulder, gently. "That went well, I hope?" she asked.

"Pretty well. No fireworks. It did feel good to talk like normal people again," he replied. "Now... I have to figure out if I'll be normal at four or not, and where."

"I heard some of that," Marinette said. "A butterfly host with healing powers? Do you think that's a good idea?"

"Do we even HAVE another option? If it has a chance of curing this, I'll play guinea pig for her," replied Adrien. "It's not getting better on its own."

"That's true," she conceded. "Which way do you want to play this?"

"If I'm Chat Noir, it's less likely to give away Dad's identity," Adrien reasoned, "and I know that Ladybug would have my back. I think I'm leaning that way... though if I'm Adrien, it'd be easier to bring YOU," he grinned.

"I've been known to be in public with handsome catboys, too," Marinette blushed, "though you _might_ want to know that Alya saw you carry me off this morning."

"She DID?" boggled Adrien. "She didn't tell anyone, did she?"

"I talked to her. She thinks that Chat Noir is a friend of mine and Adrien's my new boyfriend. Which is MOSTLY true, of course, but I wanted to keep your secret safe."

"Good thinking," he replied, "even if _I'm_ not very good at keeping it safe..."

* * *

Gabriel put his phone away, smiling with some satisfaction. _A small step... but a good first step,_ he thought. _My family may be unusual... but it is mine, and I would have no other. In time, it will be restored... all of it._

A moment later, he transformed back to Papillon and reached out mentally to his current protégé. "Nightingale, it is Papillon. How are you progressing?" he called out.

A happy voice echoed in his mind. "Quite well, I think!" she replied. "The power is in my voice. I can use poetry, literature, lyrics, whatever I choose that's sufficiently inspirational and positive, and the healing is _real!_ I've helped a girl with a skinned knee, a man with a splitting headache, and a cat that'd injured its leg so far... I'm starting small, because I don't want to use up the energy before I do what you need me to do, but so far it's been working like a dream!"

"Excellent!" beamed Papillon. "That is precisely what I wanted to hear. I have contacted the first of my two primary targets, and am awaiting his word as to where you can meet him."

"Who is it, may I ask?" asked Nightingale.

"It's... slightly difficult to explain, without giving away my own identity. Let me give it a try..."

Papillon spent some time relating the story so far to Nightingale, redacting what he felt that he needed to. She learned of a magical accident gone wrong, a young man with a dual identity, a woman with part of his power trapped within her, and how the power's fractured state was eating away at both of them.

"Will they need to be together for this to work?" asked Nightingale. "Am I connecting the two of them, somehow, and letting the power flow back into the boy where it belongs?"

"I'm... not sure that that would be safe," cautioned Papillon. "I have someone whom I must consult as to whether that would be a good idea or not. It is the desired end result, yes... but this is all trial-and-error at this stage. For now, I am content to start slowly, dressing their spiritual wounds rather than performing major surgery. If it works, and the boy and woman remain stable afterwards, perhaps..."

He trailed off. _Perhaps... you may even be an answer to my deepest prayers._

"I think that I agree. Every doctor knows the Hippocratic Oath; 'first, do no harm.' If I can help these two get some relief, we can build from there," replied Nightingale.

"...Yes," he answered, softly. "The boy is in a more stable state right now, so I will have you help him first, and I am - ah!" A buzz on his phone told him that the answer he required had arrived. "You will be meeting... Chat Noir, the feline superhero of Paris... he's suggesting halfway up the Eiffel Tower, for some privacy... at four o'clock?"

"I will be there," said Nightingale. "I've seen him on television, so I'll recognize him for sure. Plus, who else would be up that high?"

"Precisely," grinned Papillon. "Chat Noir will climb like his namesake, I suspect that the Ladybug will join him, but spectators will not be invited. Other than myself, riding along and seeing through your eyes. That way, if he should need to transform back to normal for some reason, the damage to his dignity and identity will be minimal."

"It's a date, Papillon. I will decide on some suitably potent literature this afternoon and meet them there," she smiled.

* * *

Adrien paced nervously, back and forth, back and forth, on Marinette's balcony. "What time is it now?" he asked.

"Ten before four," Marinette told him. "Five minutes past the last time you asked."

"I know, I'm sorry," he smiled, apologetically. "Sure you don't want to come along?"

"I'm not crazy about heights, like where you're going..." she demurred, gesturing to her back. "At least when I'm without wings, anyway. And Ladybug will be there to watch over you for me."

She stopped his pacing by walking over to him and wrapping her arms around him. "You be careful there, okay? Come back to me," she whispered.

"I don't think I'm actually DOING anything there. Just letting this healer do her thing, right? That should be easy enough," he replied.

"You know what I mean," Marinette replied. "You know your body and your powers better than anyone. If it feels right, go with it, but if it doesn't, you can stop her. I just want you out of danger."

"I have lots of reasons to want this to work. And one in particular."

They shared a kiss, then Adrien transformed to Chat Noir and headed for the Eiffel Tower.

Marinette watched him go, waited for a moment to be sure that he was out of sight, then called "Tikki, spots on!" and transformed to Ladybug. _Oh, yes, Ladybug will be there to watch over you. You can always count on that,_ she smiled, as she swung out to follow him.

* * *

Next time:

* "I could SWEAR that I've met you somewhere before..."

* A moment of overwhelming excitement.

* "Is it supposed to... crackle like that?"

* "You're about to learn a whole new aspect of your powers."

* "You CAN'T! Not NOW!"


	18. Cadence Becomes Cacophony

Let's Take It From The Top, Chapter 18: Cadence Becomes Cacophony

* * *

High above the ground, on a small platform about halfway up the Eiffel Tower, a young man tried to not let his imagination run away with him.

 _What if this doesn't work?_ thought Chat Noir. _Or if it makes me worse than I was before? I mean, I know my father wouldn't hurt me on PURPOSE... but I'm taking an awfully big chance letting someone random work on me, that he just powered up._

He snickered, briefly. _Of course, what have I got to lose? Nothing else has worked for very long, if at all._

 _That Mr. Fu seemed to know what he was doing, but I can't just stop by for a deep-tissue herbal massage every day, can I? And I think that that was more like delaying the inevitable than any kind of cure._

 _This has to work. It just has to! It's not just about having a future with Marinette, or with my father - it's about having a future AT ALL._

A swiftly approaching red blur raised his mood somewhat, and a few moments later, she flipped into place beside him on the platform.

"Hey, you," Ladybug greeted him. "How are you holding up?"

"Okay, I guess," Chat shrugged. "Trying not to get my hopes up too high. Or my worries."

"Well, look at it this way. You're not bad off right now, from what Marinette told me, right? So this healer won't have to work as hard, and if it starts going the wrong direction it should be easy for you to tell." Ladybug's smile was warm and reassuring. "I don't know if I can help at all, but if I can, I'm here."

"I really appreciate that, Ladybug," he replied. "Just your being here to support me helps... You're such a good friend."

For a moment, Chat watched her face and could have sworn that he saw a flicker of something there, like a private joke that he hadn't heard. _Why would it be funny if I think that Ladybug's a good friend?_ he wondered, but he let it go for now.

* * *

They talked things over for a few minutes, both watching the skies. Ladybug spotted her first. "Look!" she called out, pointing.

They saw a brown-and-white figure in the distance, cloak billowing in the slight breeze, slowly floating towards their perch. "Wow," Chat admired. "These suits give us amazing mobility, but to actually _fly_... that must be an entirely different feeling."

"It's quite a head rush," Ladybug replied... then backpedaled quickly, "Or so I'm told." She responded to Chat's puzzled look by reminding him, "Hey, I knew Firefly before I met you, remember?"

"Oh, yeah," Chat smiled. His grin widened as he asked, "Did Firefly ever tell you who she was behind the mask?"

"I'd say that I have a pretty good idea."

 _There's that funny smile again,_ Chat thought, watching Ladybug as she answered him. _I wonder if I should - nah, the new girl's almost here..._

She landed a short distance from them, and Chat gave her a friendly wave, sizing her up. _Maybe not so much 'girl' as 'woman'. She carries herself like she's older, more mature._

"Hello! Chat Noir and Ladybug, I presume! I am called Nightingale," she replied, in a lightly reverberating voice. "I'm very glad to meet both of you! I hope that I can help."

"So do we!" Ladybug said. "Seriously, thank you so much just for coming here to try this. We were starting to wonder if there was anyone left to turn to."

"No pressure, huh?" Nightingale quipped. "Well, I won't promise that I can _fix_ what's wrong... but let's see if I can tell anything about what needs fixing."

* * *

Nightingale took a few moments to look Chat over, from head to toe. "Hmmm. I don't see anything leaping out at me. Papillon told me that it's some sort of... energy problem?" she asked.

"Yeah," replied Chat. "In so many words... I have an energy power from my Miraculous, and it's 'stuck on' around my right hand. It builds up over time, I discharge it by touching someone, and then I'm fine for a while. But it's very dangerous to whoever I touch when it's active."

"Ah! That might help. Let's see..." Nightingale approached Chat, reached for his right arm, then asked, "...May I?"

"Yes, but be careful. It feels all right at the moment, but..." he warned her.

"I can sense... _something_ weird around it. I'm still trying to figure out some of the sensory input from these powers, but... yes, there's something odd about your right hand that's not there on your left," said Nightingale. "I can give this a try, if you want."

"How does this work?" asked Ladybug. "Does he have to do anything? Is there any way I can help?"

"I don't think so, on both counts. But I'm new at this..." she said, quietly, concentrating on the arm she held. "If there's anything you can think of that _might_ help, I won't stop you," she smiled.

"I won't distract you," Ladybug replied. "Chat, if you're willing...?"

Chat took a deep breath. "I am."

* * *

"Here goes..."

Nightingale took a deep breath, closed her eyes, and focused on Chat's arm... and, all at once, she seemed to gather an unusual aura around herself. She glowed, very slightly; just enough to draw Ladybug's attention, like a faint shimmer in the air. She opened her mouth and began to speak slowly, her voice deep and vibrant, seemingly coming from a far different person:

 **If I can stop one heart from breaking,**  
 **I shall not live in vain;**  
 **If I can ease one life the aching,**  
 **Or cool one pain,**  
 **Or help one fainting robin**  
 **Unto his nest again,**  
 **I shall not live in vain.**

Chat's hand and forearm shimmered much in the way that the air around Nightingale did, increasing as her words grew in volume... He looked on, wide-eyed, not sure how to react.

"Are you okay, Chat?" Ladybug whispered.

"I think so," he whispered back. "It doesn't hurt at all. In fact..."

A moment later, Nightingale relaxed, and the shimmer faded. She opened her eyes and asked, hopefully, "How is it now?"

Ladybug and Nightingale looked on as Chat Noir held his hand up in the air, flexed it this way and that, shook it back and forth, with a look combining surprise and happiness on his face. "...It feels normal again!" he beamed. "The background tingle is gone!"

 _Oh, PLEASE let that be true!_ thought Ladybug. "Can you get... you know who... to confirm that?" she nudged Chat.

"Yeah, I'd better. Ladies, one moment, please..." He stepped away, going behind the elevator that ran up and down the Tower, and they saw a white flash, faintly, from behind it.

* * *

Nightingale and Ladybug stood by, waiting for Chat's return. They looked at each other, searching for what to talk about in the meantime.

"That was very pretty, what you just said to him," ventured Ladybug, as an opener.

"It is, isn't it? It's an Emily Dickinson poem, one of my favorites," Nightingale replied. "My power seems to center around language; it can be poetry, or literary passages, or song lyrics, but it feels like the emotions stirred up by strong poetry and prose manifest themselves as healing vibrations."

"Wow!" Ladybug cooed. "That's really neat!"

"It fits me very well, because when I'm not Nightingale, I'm... um... I shouldn't be _telling_ you that, should I?" Nightingale stopped herself.

"Probably not," giggled Ladybug.

"You have a pretty laugh, Ladybug. I just can't shake the idea that... I could _swear_ that I've met you somewhere before..."

"My turn to hide _my_ identity," she smiled back at Nightingale. "Paris is a big city. We might have crossed paths out of costume."

"It's possible," Nightingale agreed. "Do... _you_ have anything that needs fixing? Physical or otherwise? I mean, while I'm here."

"Nope, I'm healthy, as far as I know," confirmed Ladybug. "I had a physical examination from my regular doctor right before school started, and everything was great."

"School, hmmm? I must say that you and Chat Noir do look awfully young to be superheroes..." noted Nightingale.

"I wondered a little about that, too," Ladybug confided. "I didn't ask to be chosen, though I did volunteer once I was. Kind of like how I'm guessing you did."

"It literally flew in through my window this morning," laughed Nightingale, "my _closed_ window! What a shock!"

They compared notes and shared laughter for another minute or two, until...

* * *

Adrien stood behind the elevator wall, staring at his hand with mild disbelief. "Plagg!" he hissed. "You know this problem much better than I do. What can you tell about it?"

The Kwami buzzed around, looking a bit surprised himself. "Well... I'm still missing a big chunk of my energy. That's still in Nathalie and we'll have to find some way to get it out of her safely. But..."

"You're killing me, Plagg. But what?" Adrien gasped.

"...But I think she _actually fixed_ your part of the problem! It's like a bandage wrapped over a wound, but it's closed for now!" Plagg buzzed back and forth with excitement. "The energy shouldn't _leak_ from you any more, Adrien! Not as yourself OR as Chat Noir!"

"You mean I'm CURED?"

"Not CURED cured," warned Plagg. "I wouldn't use Cataclysm any time soon if I were you! Give it time to heal properly, and there's still the Nathalie thing. But you can use both hands to hug Marinette again; you won't zap anyone by accident."

"And if I get near Nathalie?" asked Adrien, trying not to jump for joy. "Will either of us get worse?"

 _"That,_ I don't know. She'll need to get fixed like this, too, and I'm not sure if this method will work on her..." Plagg pondered, "But I guess it's worth a try!"

"I've got my life back! I think I've got my LIFE BACK!" Adrien bubbled. "Let's go tell them! CLAWS OUT!"

* * *

The grin on Chat's face told Ladybug what she wanted most to hear.

"Plagg says that it worked! Nightingale, you're a _godsend_!" he nearly shouted as he ran to join them.

"Thank goodness," breathed Nightingale. "I'm so new at this that I didn't know quite what to expect!"

Both Ladybug and Chat thanked her to the point of overwhelming her with their gratitude. "I'm so happy that I could help! Now, Papillon has one other job for me..." she mentioned.

They looked at each other. "I know exactly what that is, and if you succeed there... I will be eternally grateful," said Chat, a bit humbled. "You'll be fixing the biggest mistake of my life."

"I'll do my best," Nightingale promised. "If something goes wrong with... well, what I did... can you contact Papillon, and maybe he can send me out again?"

"We can do that," confirmed Ladybug. "THANK YOU! Thank you thank you thank you THANK YOU!"

With a wave, Nightingale took to the air and floated off, immensely pleased by her job well done. _I have a funny feeling that those two might need a little bit of privacy about now,_ she smiled to herself. _...They do SO seem familiar, like I know both of them... but who could they possibly be?_

* * *

Once alone, Ladybug turned to Chat and both of them burst out with pure joy. "SHE DID IT!" shouted Chat. "Plagg said it still needs some healing time, so I shouldn't use Cataclysm for a while, but the dangerous part is gone!"

"Yes yes yes yes YES!" bubbled Ladybug. "Oh, I am so HAPPY for you!" She leaned in and hugged him tightly, actually taking Chat off his feet for a moment before he recovered his balance. Chat returned her embrace, and soon felt her shuddering slightly against him.

"Are you..." he asked, softly. _Is she CRYING?_ "Are you all right, Ladybug?"

"It's _happy_ crying, okay? I was just... so _worried_... all this time... that this was going to get worse and worse and I was going to _lose you,_ " Ladybug managed. "I'm so happy that you're going to be okay... I couldn't lose you, Adrien. I just couldn't."

"You won't, Ladybug," he said, holding her tight. "I promise you that. I..."

A moment passed in silence, as spoken words sank in.

"Ladybug?" Chat asked, quietly.

"Yeah?"

"How do you know that my name is Adrien?"

* * *

Ladybug's face froze... then turned as scarlet as her costume. _AUUUUUGH!_ she screamed, internally.

"That... just slipped out," she admitted, sheepishly. "I can't believe I just said that! I'm just... so..."

She laid her head down on Adrien's shoulder. "That was not how I meant that to come out," she groaned.

"I'm not mad, Ladybug! I'm not! I'm... not very good at hiding my identity. Even Nightingale probably figured it out, that fast," Chat consoled her, while processing the situation in his head. "But... there's something else going on here, isn't there?"

"What's that?" Ladybug turned her head and smiled at him, knowing that she'd been caught and she wasn't wriggling out of this one.

"You and I are good friends, Ladybug," he asked her with a curious smile, calculations going on behind his eyes, "but we're not CLOSE close. Not like that, not yet. Not crying-for-joy close."

"Adrien Agreste," Ladybug whispered, "you and I are a lot closer than you know. And now that you're finally safe, and now that I just blew _your_ secret, there's something _else_ that you really ought to know."

At his look of surprise, she leaned back slightly and added, "Change back for me. Right here."

"Claws in," he obeyed, and her blonde angel was in her arms.

"Spots off," Ladybug said, with a huge grin on her face.

* * *

It was a bit too early for sunset; it wasn't expected in Paris for a little over an hour.

But, to this day, many Parisians who happened to look up at the right time swear that, in the direction of the Eiffel Tower, the sky lit up in the most beautiful way late on that particular afternoon.

* * *

Across town, Papillon slumped back in his office chair, allowing the events to sink in. The sense of relief that swept through him was overwhelming.

 _There is nothing quite like the sensation of a clever plan coming together,_ he congratulated himself. _Though we're only halfway there, and Nathalie's side of the problem may not be quite as easy to overcome... the method worked! I have_ _SAVED MY SON!_

Grinning from ear to ear, he activated the telepathic link with Nightingale. "WELL done, Nightingale!" he beamed to her. "I could not be more pleased with you right now."

"Thank you, Papillon!" she replied. "I, um... are you sure about that? I don't think that I _cured_ him, entirely..."

"I did not expect you to be able to do _that._ Not yet," Papillon explained. "Think of it this way. If your house is flooding, there are many things that must be done to restore order. But the first and most important is to _shut off the flow of water_. To patch the hole through which it is pouring... and that is what you just accomplished! That boy's very life was in danger, as was that of anyone close to him. If you can do the same for the other sufferer, I can get the two of them to someone who can repair the underlying problem."

"Good. I'll do my best," answered Nightingale. "I do have to ask... are those two heroes that I just met powered like I am? With butterflies, I mean?"

 _Hmmm... how candid should I be?_ considered Papillon. _Getting her to my house without spoiling my identify - or theirs, for that matter - will be threading a needle of sorts._

"They are not, or at least not by me," he began. "I can only speak for the boy for sure; I know his power source, and it is of a type similar to what powers me. More permanent, in other words. The girl is almost assuredly much the same, but I was not involved at all in her selection."

"Papillon... they're _kids!_ Teenagers! If they have the kind of world-changing power you've given me - and from what you're saying, even greater still - who puts that kind of _responsibility_ in their hands? I'm overwhelmed by the potential of my own powers, and mine are only temporary!" Nightingale's tone of voice sounded quite concerned.

"Again, it was not of my doing," Papillon assured her. "The boy was not so much selected as... self-appointed, let's put it that way. I can vouch for his good character, but he faces something of a reckoning for his actions. The girl... She was selected by someone else, and while I do not know her as well yet, something tells me that I shall."

"Well, I suppose I can't argue with that too much... Where should I go next, Papillon?" she asked.

Papillon sighed. _It's probably better to put my identity at risk than to chance moving Nathalie now,_ he thought. _She's stressed enough_. "An... acquaintance of mine has a valued assistant, and she is the second person for whom your powers are needed. Do you know the Agreste mansion, on the north side?"

"I do," said Nightingale, with some surprise. "In fact, his son is one of my students this year."

"This could be quite the parent-teacher conference, then," smirked Papillon. "Please proceed there. The woman's name is Nathalie Sancoeur, and the following is what you need to know about her condition..."

* * *

In another part of town, a tiny green being flitted back and forth, trying to decide what to do.

 _Should I disturb the Master?_ Wayzz pondered. _He is meditating at the moment, very deeply, and I do not wish to disrupt his ritual._

He concentrated, briefly, and his mood became even more unsettled. _But these energies I'm sensing are unusual, to say the least! Something happened with Plagg, and it feels... positive? A step in the right direction. But who has the power to modify Miraculous energies at all?_

 _...I think that it's all right for the moment. I will wake him if something more dramatic happens._

* * *

Two teenagers laid side-by-side on a small platform, high above the city of Paris, holding hands, ridiculously happy, in a state of complete peace with their world.

Adrien's grin was possibly a permanent fixture. "So you've been right there watching over me this whole time?" he laughed. "I mean, of course you have! I just didn't know you were doing that in THREE different ways!"

"Uh-huh," Marinette glowed, melting into him. "I'm pretty hard to escape from these days."

"It was you who came and fetched me off of that tall building... And saved me from Nathalie's attack... And you were so sweet to me all those other times..."

"Not a problem!" she purred. "You can spend all the time you like making it up to me," she added, then burst into giggles.

"You can count on that," said Adrien, giving her hand a squeeze. He rolled over slightly to face her, then asked, "I feel like I should have figured it out on my own... but why didn't you tell me before now?"

Marinette lowered her eyes slightly. "Well... I wasn't supposed to, you know? These things are supposed to be secrets. I'm sure Plagg told you not to tell anyone, right?"

"YES, he did," the tiny Kwami heckled, sitting on a nearby girder next to Tikki. "But he didn't _have_ to tell you. Everybody just figures it out before he can."

"I'm NEW at this!", Adrien yelled back, getting a raspberry from Plagg. "Does anyone else know yours, Marinette?"

"My parents know. They actually opened my Miraculous box first!" she began.

"And I don't know who was more surprised, " laughed Tikki. "You, me or them."

"Mylene figured it out, after the Dreadnaught thing. I think that's it..." continued Marinette. "Oh! And... I didn't tell him, but I think your dad figured me out."

" _Really?_ " Adrien marveled. "Well, he did get to know you from your being Firefly... but when do you think he knew?"

"He dropped a big hint that he knew after I talked to him in the bakery this morning. He saw how protective I was of you, he knows we're together, he saw Ladybug defend Chat the night before... I like to think that I'm not making it TOO obvious, but he's a very smart man," Marinette answered.

"Yes, he is. And I really hope that he and your parents get along well after they cure Nathalie," said Adrien. "It'll make 'us' so much easier."

"Ohhh, that's the only downside of you two getting fixed up," groaned Marinette. "You're going to end up moving out of my _houuuuuse!"_

"Marinette," Adrien grinned, "your boyfriend can say two words and then use rooftops as stepping stones. Do you think that you COULD keep me away? Just listen for three knocks on your balcony hatch."

"Or _you_ could just keep one of your windows open," Marinette flirted back, "and see how often a cute little bug flies through it."

* * *

Gabriel knocked gently at Nathalie's door. "Are you awake?" he called, quietly.

"I am," she responded. "That was a nice nap."

"How are you feeling?" he asked her. "I have a pleasant surprise for you."

"Kind of... not bad yet, but right on the edge of it?" Nathalie said. "The vial helped, but only a little. What's happened?"

"I took the liberty of sending out a new butterfly, and the new host has healing powers. Would you believe that Adrien appears to be out of danger?"

"That's wonderful, Gabriel!" she said, with genuine happiness on her face. "He's been cured? Will it work on me?"

"Improved, I suspect, not cured. But the big problem, that the energy kept leaking out and building up uncontrollably... that has improved. Even his Kwami confirmed that much." Gabriel sat down next to Nathalie on the edge of her bed. "And the host - she's known as Nightingale - is on her way here right now, to see if she can help you as well."

"Oh, I hope so! That could mean that Adrien could come home!" replied Nathalie. "I know just how much you've wanted that!"

"And that YOU would be out of danger, as well. Which is something else that I have wanted very much," he smiled.

"I... appreciate that," she said, feeling blood rushing to her face, trying hard not to overreact. _You know perfectly well that he's a complete professional AND a married man, Nathalie,_ she told herself, _even if the state of his wife is... complicated_. _You both know that he is simply being compassionate._ "When are you expecting her?"

A quiet ping on his smartwatch announced to Gabriel that a visitor had arrived at the front door. "Immediately, it would appear," he replied. "Shall we meet her?"

"Yes, let's," Nathalie said, then arose and walked slowly to the front atrium with Gabriel.

* * *

Nightingale entered the mansion, a bit nervously. Gabriel did his best to feign mild surprise at her costumed appearance.

"My... goodness!" he exclaimed. "You _must_ be the superhero Papillon told me about. Your costume is... actually, quite artfully designed!"

"Thank you! From a fashion magnate like you, that's quite the compliment," she smiled. "And you would be Nathalie?"

"I am. I'm hoping that you'll have as much success as you had with Chat Noir," Nathalie replied. "But anything will be an improvement."

"Come," Gabriel said, "let's go somewhere comfortable for this." He led them to a a room in the back of the house, one where the family sometimes went to watch television or catch up on reading.

Nathalie sat down on a sofa and asked, "What do I need to do?" nervously.

"You shouldn't have to do anything, other than relax," assured Nightingale. "It was pretty easy to do with Chat Noir, and... let's see..." She took Nathalie's extended arm, carefully, and looked it over for about a minute. "Structurally, it looks similar to how Chat Noir's looked. I'll see if I can perform the same kind of repair."

She smiled at Nathalie, trying to ease her obvious tension. "My power works through the spoken word. I think something inspirational might work here... I can tell that you're a strong woman at heart. I'll try some Longfellow."

Nightingale took a deep breath, and began:

 **Tell me not, in mournful numbers,**  
 **Life is but an empty dream!—**  
 **For the soul is dead that slumbers,**  
 **And things are not what they seem.**  
 **Life is real! Life is earnest!**  
 **And the grave is not its goal;**  
 **Dust thou art, to dust returnest,**  
 **Was not spoken of the soul.**

The energy shimmered around Nightingale, as before. Nathalie looked down at her arm, watching it tingle and glow... then glow brighter, a golden color, with sparkles of purple within. "Is it supposed to... crackle like that?" she asked.

Nightingale's frown hinted to her that it was not. "Maybe... I'll try something else, something more tranquil." Undaunted, she shifted to Wordsworth:

 **I wandered lonely as a cloud**  
 **That floats on high o'er vales and hills,**  
 **When all** **at once I saw a crowd,**  
 **A host, of golden daffodils;**  
 **Beside the lake, beneath the trees,**  
 **Fluttering and dancing in the breeze.**

"I like that one," Nathalie said, just above a whisper. "It was in a poetry collection I had back in college." She smiled, but the energy shifted slowly from gold to darker shades, with the purple sparks intensifying.

Gabriel looked on with some alarm. "Nightingale, are you all right?" he asked. "Should we stop?" _But t_ _his HAS to work. We are so CLOSE!_

Nightingale gritted her teeth. "Come on, Nathalie, we can do this. I can FEEL that it's working! Fight it with me." She shifted to one of Shakespeare's most inspirational passages:

 **This day is called the feast of Crispian:**  
 **He that outlives this day, and comes safe home,**  
 **Will stand a tip-toe when the day is named,**  
 **And rouse him at the name of Crispian...**

Gabriel's concern grew with each passing moment... but was interrupted by a loud alert from his phone. He looked at it quickly, and saw:

 **[INCOMING CALL - Fu** **Wang]**

* * *

He answered it, hesitantly. "Hello, I can't really talk right n-," he began.

"WHAT in the WORLD are you DOING?" snapped a familiar, accented voice. "My Kwami noticed some small disturbances earlier today. But he is going _insane_ right now and woke me up in a complete panic. What are you _attempting,_ Gabriel?"

As quickly as he could, Gabriel described the creation of Nightingale, what had happened with Chat Noir, that a second repair operation was in progress, and how.

"Gabriel. LISTEN to me. I understand why you have done this, but attempting this with Nathalie could be extremely dangerous!" insisted Master Fu.

"You have my attention. What could happen?" asked Gabriel, with growing dread, readying himself to stop the procedure.

"Think of it as a chemistry experiment. She closed the hole in Chat Noir's system. The power has another, more natural way out of him - through Plagg and his Miraculous. Follow me so far?" instructed Fu, rapidly.

"Yes... I think."

"Nathalie doesn't have anything like that... So you're closing the hole. AND you're pouring new energy into her system. A system that's corrupted, with half a Cataclysm already boiling inside it. Where does that energy go?"

Gabriel stiffened. "She's not going to EXPLODE, is she?" he barked, drawing a _very_ startled glance from Nathalie. Nightingale's concentration remained focused on her recitation.

"No! I mean, I _hope not!_ But it may cause a _major_ backlash! And if that happens - quickly, Gabriel! Look at what Nightingale's doing. What do you see?"

Nightingale's voice was reaching a crescendo, shouting out the words of Shakespeare, as the energy surrounding Nathalie continued to darken and flare up:

 **But we in it shall be remember'd;**  
 **We few, we happy few, we band of brothers;**  
 **For he to-day that sheds his blood with me**  
 **Shall be my brother; be he ne'er so vile,**  
 **This day shall gentle his condition -**

Suddenly, her voice cracked, and her posture was visibly uncomfortable. "This... isn't right... I... PAPILLON! HELP ME! Please!" Nightingale shouted.

The room lit up all at once. Gabriel shouted "NOOROO, SPREAD YOUR WINGS!" and was engulfed in a white flash... but at the same time, a dark purple storm of energy erupted from Nathalie and engulfed Nightingale, who screamed loudly!

"...Gabriel?" called Master Fu, urgently, already knowing that it was too late.

* * *

Papillon recoiled, overwhelmed by the explosive outburst. He opened his eyes after a moment and, slowly, his vision began to focus.

The first thing that he saw was the sofa, overturned, with Nathalie sprawled out over it. "NATHALIE!" he shouted, but she appeared to be unconscious. He ran to her, mouthing a silent prayer, and was relieved to find that she was still breathing, though unresponsive.

"Oh, no... Oh, NO... Stay with me, Nathalie... Nightingale! Are _you_ all right?" He turned his head, rapidly, searching for a cloaked figure in brown and white -

...and found a cloaked figure in black, instead.

" **That bird has flown, Papillon,** " its voice intoned, deep and menacing and reverberating. " **And what has taken its place will not be so easy to cage.** "

 _"...What?"_ managed Papillon, in shock. This costumed figure was nearly a complete reversal of color; black as coal, a dark cloak that reflected flashes of deep purple when the light caught it, blood red over the upper chest.

" **I should thank you, really,** " she said. " **You are responsible for all that led to this unleashed power! So I will not destroy you... yet. But as for using my gift to heal and comfort the innocent? Quoth the Black Raven... NEVERMORE!** "

She strode over and cast a glance at the fallen Nathalie. " **YOU'VE had enough fun for one afternoon, I think. So here's something to remember me by...** " With a gesture, she blasted Nathalie with a stream of black feathers from her outstretched arm and cloak, each one hitting with a purple spark that caused Nathalie's body to jump and twitch!

"STOP IT! PLEASE!" begged Papillon, trying to cover her with his own body. "What is it that you _want?"_

" **I want to spread my... gift... over my city, and find some livelier prey. I will do such things, what they are, yet I know not: but they shall be the terrors of the earth.** " Ignoring Papillon's protests, the woman turned and floated away, leaving him cradling Nathalie in his arms.

"Nathalie, wake up! Are you..." Papillon began, then recoiled in horror as he saw her left arm begin to pulse with black energy, as it had previously. In fear of her touch, he laid her down as gently as he could manage on the sofa back, then took two steps back himself.

He held his phone in his hand, hearing Master Fu calling his name through it, but had absolutely no idea how to begin to respond to all of this. No idea at all.

* * *

Marinette closed her eyes, soaking in the moment some more. _For the first time since this entire hero business started,_ she thought, _I feel like everything in my life is lining up again. Things are starting to make sense. My world is..._

Her phone rang, and she cast a quick glance at it. _Whoa! It's from Master Fu's number, the one that Tikki had typed in!_ she realized. She answered it with a curious "...Hello?"

"Hello! You are needed, immediately! We have a terrible situation. Bring Tikki in front of the phone so that she can hear me. She doesn't show up on phones or cameras, so tell me when she is there," a solemn voice insisted.

"Tikki? I need you, quickly," Marinette called over to her. _I don't like the sound of this at all,_ she thought. _He didn't even ask if I was alone right now, and he sounds scared!_

Tikki floated over, wondering what the fuss was about, then stiffened when she saw Master Fu's face on the screen. "She's here," Marinette said.

Adrien watched, curious, as Marinette and Tikki listened to what sounded like rapid-fire orders from her phone. Marinette's turning quite pale was not a particularly good omen for whatever it was that she was hearing.

She hung up, looking stunned. Adrien ventured, "...What was that all about?"

Marinette answered, hesitantly, "I need to get to your house as quickly as I can... but _without_ you with me."

* * *

"And why would you do that, and why without me?" asked Adrien, looking quite alarmed.

"Something may have gone _very_ wrong in trying to cure Nathalie! Not only might she be unstable, but Nightingale might have been corrupted," replied Marinette. "Ladybug needs to investigate, _fast,_ but if Nathalie is dangerous again, we can't chance her getting her hands on you!"

"And Nathalie may actually be the _lesser_ of our problems right now," interjected Tikki, making both teens whirl around. "If what happened to Nightingale is what I think it is... Ladybug, you're about to learn a whole new aspect of your powers, and Chat Noir, we'll need you more than ever, right now."

Tikki took a deep breath. "Chat, when your accident happened, part of Cataclysm was stuck in Nathalie... but Nooroo was involved, too. A tiny bit of _his_ energies was mixed in, as well, and I think that bit of transformation energy got corrupted by everything that's happened to her... and it's in Nightingale now, and now she's something _else_ entirely! The Moth is among the most dangerous Miraculous when misused. Used properly, it can create amazing superheroes... but I think you're about to meet your first _supervillain."_

"So, shouldn't we take her on together?" mused Adrien. "Especially if she might be that dangerous?"

"Adrien, your father's not answering his phone, and Nathalie is with him. Someone has to check on them, but if Nathalie is in a wild state again, we can't risk having you close to her yet!" worried Marinette. "You _just_ got healed, the energy's still not right inside you..."

Plagg jumped in, saying, "But we _will_ need Ladybug to fight the villain." Quickly, Tikki and Plagg gave a quick primer on what an Akuma was, and how Ladybug's purification power was the only way to restore its victim to normal.

"So it goes like this," continued Plagg. "Ladybug, you'll need to get to Gabriel and Nathalie. Find out everything you can. Then find the villain, and fast! Chat Noir, you'll need to track down the villain NOW, and keep her away from civilians in the meantime! Lead her on a merry chase until Ladybug arrives, then work together. And be _careful_! We don't know what she can do!"

"Dance around, don't engage directly, figure out what I can about her powers without getting zapped. Got it," Adrien said, grimly.

"The woman inside is a victim, not a killer. We need to save her as much as we do anyone else," directed Tikki. "But the villain persona possessing her... that could be really bad news."

Quickly, the pair transformed. Chat pulled Ladybug close and told her, "Watch yourself. I won't take any chances, so don't _you,_ either."

"I'll make sure they're safe. I'll find you as soon as I can," she whispered. " _Stay safe._ "

They shared a soft kiss... then took off in different directions.

* * *

Chat Noir scanned the city as he leapt from roof to roof, looking for signs of whoever was out there. _If I was a normal person, and all of a sudden there was someone in a costume attacking people or destroying things... I'd RUN,_ he reasoned. _So I think that I need to look for chaos and follow it to its source. Then... I'll figure something out._

As he approached the Montmartre district, he found the disorder he was looking for. To his horror, along with running and screaming figures, he saw several others either unconscious or twitching on the ground.

Atop the Basilica of the Sacré-Coeur, a dark-cloaked figure surveyed her sinister handiwork with pride, and declared it to the world around her:

 **"Blow, winds, and crack your cheeks! rage! blow!**  
 **You cataracts and hurricanoes, spout**  
 **Till you have drench'd our steeples, drown'd the cocks!**  
 **You sulph'rous and thought-executing fires,**  
 **Vaunt-couriers to oak-cleaving thunderbolts,**  
 **Singe my white head!"**

" _White_ head? You were a redhead when I met you earlier," a young voice called out. "But only your hairdresser knows for sure, I guess."

 **"Impudence is the worst of all human diseases** ," the woman declared. " **Dare you match wits with ME, young man?** **My tongue is sharp, and grows keener with use.** "

"I'll take my chances. I'm hard to catch, and harder to hold," Chat taunted her. "Or you could just surrender now and save us both the trouble..."

In answer, she rose up and took flight in his direction. _Time to move,_ Chat thought. _Agility, don't fail me now..._

* * *

Ladybug arrived at the Agreste mansion as quickly as she could manage. The front door was hanging wide open, a bad omen.

She edged her way forward, not sure what to expect, until she found Gabriel Agreste kneeling down in a room in the rear. "Mr. Agreste?" she called, softly. "Are you all right?"

Gabriel looked up, startled. He replied, "It's you," quietly, then looked down again.

Ladybug stepped forward, gingerly, and cringed when she came around the end of the overturned sofa. She saw Gabriel kneeling over a semiconscious Nathalie... with a dark, noxious energy swirling around her once more. The energy was thinner than it had been the night before, at least, but the situation was clearly dire.

"Mr. Agreste?" she ventured. "You might want to step back, just a little bit-"

"No. I _will not_ leave her," he snapped. "This is my fault. I _will not_ leave her to suffer alone."

"Can you tell me what happened? If what I'm told is true, it might be possible for me to reverse some of this, but I need to know as much about what I'll be facing as I can."

Gabriel related to her what Nightingale's powers had been - "though, _obviously,_ you know that much, you saw her up close" - and how her attempt to heal Nathalie had backfired. "Mr. Wang tried to warn me, moments too late... but I should have known better than to make the attempt. I keep playing with mystical toys like a child with a matchbook, and as always, those I care for pay the price."

He grimaced, "She called herself Black Raven now. She could have simply left; I had no way to stop her. She blasted Nathalie for the sheer malicious glee of it on her way out. Her voice is as potent as ever, and she pelted Nathalie with some kind of devilish feathers."

"Can you send out another butterfly, something tuned to counter what Black Raven can do?" Ladybug asked.

"No, I can't," Gabriel replied. "I can have only one out at a time, and no matter how hard I concentrate, I can't seem to contact or control her!"

"Sir... we're going to try our hardest. Chat Noir wouldn't be as healthy as he is now without what you had done," Ladybug tried to reassure him. "I've been told that what happened might have corrupted the butterfly's energy in Nightingale, and that if we can free it, I can purify it and try to reverse what her new identity has done. That may help Nathalie recover. When you first made contact with Nightingale, do you remember what it was that the butterfly touched?"

"I..." Gabriel's eyes glazed over. "I'm not sure. She had reached out with a finger... I do not _think_ that she touched it; it touched her... jewelry she had on, perhaps? I'm sorry, I cannot say for sure."

"It gives me something to go on. That's a start," she replied. "Mr. Agreste... can I do anything here to help?"

"No, child. Go, rejoin Chat Noir, follow the plan you just mentioned. I will keep in contact with Mr. Wang. If things get worse here, I will let you know... may I text you?" he asked.

Ladybug smiled, slowly. "You _do_ know, don't you?" she stated, very plainly.

"I know that you are my son's perfect match, no matter which name you go by," Gabriel replied, with a hint of a smile. "And that your putting yourself in harm's way, as you have done repeatedly for our benefit, will not be forgotten by me. Ever."

They looked at each other... weighed each other's emotions... and then, out of pure reflex, each leaned forward into a hug.

"We are going to fix this, Mr. Agreste. All of this. I _will_ find a way," Ladybug whispered.

"If anyone can, I feel like it would be you," he whispered back. "Go. Good luck, and _be safe_. Please."

With renewed purpose, Ladybug shot out of the Agreste mansion as if shot out of a cannon. Her thoughts on what had just happened, particularly a refrain of _OH MY GOD GABRIEL AGRESTE JUST HUGGED ME_ that was bound to echo in her skull at a later time, were put on a rear shelf in her mind for now.

Nothing beyond setting these things right could possibly matter now.

* * *

Next time:

* "Cat vs. Bird! Who do you think wins _this_ fight?"

* "You CAN'T! Not NOW!"

* Frying pan, meet fire.

* "Yes, his life is in danger... _And_ millions of others."

* "I'm... not _really_ seeing what I'm seeing... am I?"


	19. The End of All Songs

Let's Take It From The Top, Chapter 19: The End of All Songs

* * *

A young man ran like his life depended on it... which, given the demeanor and powers of the black-clad nemesis on his heels at that moment, it well might have.

" **I am most pleased that you appeared and challenged me, whelp!** " taunted the villain. " **It saved me the trouble of hunting you down.** "

"I don't mean to sound rude," Chat Noir called over his shoulder, maintaining his current pace, "but you seem awfully tense. Anything I can do to help you relax a little bit?"

" **Stop, and surrender!** " answered Black Raven. " **Give me what I want, and I might leave you _able_ to walk away afterwards.**"

"My, what a tempting offer," Chat smirked. "What _is_ it that you want? An autograph, perhaps? I hadn't scheduled any fan club meetings this week... mostly because I don't have a fan club yet, but that's just details, right?"

 _I'm whistling in the dark,_ he thought. _I'm stalling for time until Ladybug gets here, but even if I DID turn around and fight her now, I don't know how to beat her! She's only caught me with one or two of those charged-up feathers, but they sting like the dickens; I don't want to know what a handful at once would do to me. She's almost as fast as I am, and while I can run and jump, she can FLY! Sooner or later, she's going to corner me, and then..._

" **You, in and of yourself, are inconsequential. But I _will_ have that ring on your finger,**" Black Raven replied, " **Even if I must take your whole hand with it.** "

Despite his better instincts, Chat turned and faced her, gambling that he had enough room to maneuver and to dodge her assault. "Lady, you've never even _met_ me," he insisted. "How do you even know what this ring is, let alone that you want it so badly?"

" **Papillon told me more than he should have about you,** " she grinned. " **As did your lady friend! My powers in this form are far greater than Nightingale ever possessed... yet, they are finite, ephemeral, like whispers on the wind. But a Miraculous... that is an unending source of power! With it, I could maintain this form indefinitely, and combine that might with its _own_ power... I could subject this entire _world_ to terrors undreamed of.**"

"Oh, yeah. That's _definitely_ how you get me to cooperate with you," snapped Chat Noir, thoroughly appalled. "You're nuttier than a fruitcake, lady."

" **So it's the hard way, then?** " Black Raven replied. " **GOOD.** "

Her sinister grin sent a chill down Chat's spine, right before a barrage of feathers nearly dislodged it. With a mighty leap, he was on the run again, with a newfound sense of panic. _This is no game,_ he thought. _She's playing for keeps!_

* * *

Across town, Ladybug was moving just as fast, with a dozen nightmares taking turns flashing through her head.

 _What if I can't find him in time? What if this Black Raven is more than he can handle? What if she blasts him and undoes everything she'd done as Nightingale to heal him? Or WORSE? Or..._

 _Steady,_ she reminded herself. _You've seen Chat in action, and just how hard he is to catch. He's smart enough not to get baited into a mistake, and once I find him, we can work together. And together, nobody's going to beat us._

 _So why can't I shake this feeling that something dreadful's about to happen?_

* * *

Gabriel Agreste sat on the floor next to the fallen Nathalie, still in shock. He held Nathalie's right hand lightly with one of his own, trying to ignore the jolts of pain he felt as the swirling energy around her contacted him at random intervals.

 _At some point, it will be too much for me to withstand, and I will either be forced to pull away or fall unconscious. Or be consumed entirely,_ he mused. _But I do not care right now what happens to me. If my life energy can be beneficial to her in any way, so be it._

He looked over at the phone in his other hand. _I suppose that I should face the music and acknowledge my failure fully,_ he thought, as he redialed Fu Wang's number.

Fu picked up nearly instantly. "Gabriel? Are you all right? What of Nathalie? What has happened?" the old man panted.

"Your warning was most prescient! And just a few moments too late," sighed Gabriel. "I felt that I had the situation under control, and that I did not need to consult you before conducting my little experiment. And the world may pay the price for my folly."

"Gabriel... listen to me, very carefully," Fu stated. "What has happened, has happened, and there is no getting around that. But we cannot stand by and let everything _else_ happen! More than you know rides on what comes next. Please, what do I need to know?"

Quickly, Gabriel described the mystical explosion and what had followed it, confirming Fu's grim assumptions and then some.

"We face a dual crisis," Fu replied, "and the second depends greatly on how our young heroes handle the first. So much rests on Ladybug's small shoulders! Should things go badly with Black Raven, the potential is..."

"I am well aware of the danger my son is in," interjected Gabriel. "And Nathalie, as well. I need no reminder of that."

"You have assumed that you know more than you do once today, and it has cost us all dearly," chided Fu. "Let us not repeat that. Yes, his life is in danger... and hers... and yours and mine... _a_ _nd millions of others."_

" _Millions?_ " Gabriel gasped. When he could speak again, his voice was noticeably more subdued, with an unusual humility to it. "Please," he asked, softly. "Tell me what I can do."

"We are two of the few who can do anything at all. And we have empowered, inadvertently or otherwise, the two who may act on our behalf and perhaps save us all," said Fu. "Allow me to explain..."

* * *

Chat Noir kept on the move, calculating his remaining options on the fly. _I need to keep her away from other people, if I can,_ he reasoned. _She's already shown that she's willing to hurt whoever crosses her path, so I need to keep her focused on me, and ONLY me._

 _The park?_ he thought. _That's probably going to be my best bet. People can flee in all directions when they see us coming, and it shouldn't be crowded right now._

He veered in that general direction, trying not to look too obvious about it. "What's the matter, birdbrain?" he quipped in Black Raven's direction. "Cat got your tongue?"

" **If that is what you desire, my tongue you shall have,** " she sneered. " **Though I suspect you will change your tune quickly...** "

She began to recite a stanza, her voice returning to its full reverberating timbre, not slowing her pursuit for an instant:

" **I had a dream, which was not all a dream.  
** **The bright sun was extinguish'd, and the stars  
** **Did wander darkling in the eternal space,  
** **Rayless, and pathless, and the icy earth  
** **Swung blind and blackening in the moonless air...** "

"AUUUUUGH!" cried Chat, stumbling briefly. _That VOICE!_ he gasped, internally, in considerable agony. _It's like it's clawing at my brain, even from several meters away_!

He staggered a bit, leaned up against a nearby building wall for stability's sake, and quickly realized his error. Black Raven hovered across from him, floating several feet off the ground, glaring down at him. _This is REALLY bad_ , Chat thought. _She's got me cut off; I can't go through her, she can hit me if I go left or right, and I'm too fuzzy from that attack to leap up and over!_

" **Oh, do you _like_ Lord Byron's poetry?**" Black Raven mocked him. " **Then I've got just the thing for you. Another poem of his... called _And Thou Art Dead, As Young And Fair_.**"

She drew in a deep breath, and Chat covered up, futilely...

...when, suddenly, he saw a red-and-black yo-yo flash down in front of him! He blinked, then grabbed it, waved at Black Raven, and was lifted up and away to the roof in an instant.

* * *

"Somehow you didn't look like you were having much fun there, Ch-" Ladybug began.

 _"RUUUUUN!"_

Hearing it shouted that vehemently, Ladybug didn't need to hear it twice. The two bolted away, as Chat managed to gasp out, "And thank you, my lady."

"Any time, honey," she replied, not slowing down. "Okay... what do I need to know about her?"

"She flies, obviously. She blasts feathers charged with energy, and they hurt, but that's not the worst part! Her voice is like a tornado of pain, and she doesn't have to get up close with it. She can maim you with poetry; she's like a Vogon, or something," panted Chat.

"What's a Vogon?" Ladybug asked.

Despite the peril, Chat grinned. "Oh, you are _so_ borrowing a book of mine later," he laughed, "or we're going to have a movie night at your place BUT ANYWAY! What happened at my house?"

"Nightingale tried to cure Nathalie, but it backfired. Your dad is okay. Nathalie's pulsing, but not as badly as before," explained Ladybug. "They're not in immediate danger. We need to stop Black Raven first, and we'll worry about the rest later."

"Got it. Now how do we do that?" asked Chat, looking back nervously at the rapidly approaching villain. "My plan was 'run until Ladybug arrives.' Your turn."

"I think the Akuma is hiding in jewelry that she's wearing. Your dad thought that that's what the butterfly touched," she pondered. "So... a necklace? Earrings? Any hint of anything that doesn't fit her dark color scheme."

"That means getting in close, and inside that cloak..." groaned Chat. "Not going to be easy."

"I'm thinking!" Ladybug grumbled. "It's hard to think and sprint at the same time."

"To start with, let's draw her away from anywhere crowded. We need to get her away from people she could hurt," Chat suggested, and at Ladybug's nod, the pair took a sharp right turn...

* * *

" **Children!** " Black Raven called, tauntingly. " **Choose our place of battle well. It will be the last choice you will make.** "

"Well, she's just all sunshine and flowers, isn't she?" glared Ladybug, still not slowing down.

"Cheerful as a car crash," agreed Chat.

They settled on a wooded area of a local park, seemingly devoid of people, with trees and foliage aplenty. "We're here," hissed Chat, quietly. "So what's the plan?"

"Her mobility is hampered here," reasoned Ladybug. "The more that we can control her movement, the better chance we have of getting in close and grabbing jewelry."

"Yeah, but so is ours," countered Chat. "We can't go full speed while we're dodging trees and underbrush, and her voice carries. And, trust me, it hurts even from a distance."

"Let's see what I can do about that, if you're ready." At Chat's nod, she threw her hand skyward and called, "LUCKY... CHARM!"

Scarlet energy formed above her head, coalescing into physical objects, which fell into Ladybug's waiting hands...

"Soundproof earmuffs?" wondered Ladybug. "I mean, maybe they'll _help_ block her voice somewhat, but..."

"Yours are cute," smiled Chat. "Red and fuzzy!"

The heroes slipped them on quickly, then spun around to face Black Raven, now hovering above them menacingly.

" **Shall we begin?** " called the villain. " **Here's something appropriate...** "

 **"Three times I had the lust to kill,**  
 **To clutch a throat so young and fair,**  
 **And squeeze with all my might until**  
 **No breath of being lingered there...** "

"AUUUGH!" cried Chat, cringing. "These earmuffs might take the edge off a _little_ , but not much! That still hurts, _badly_! Ladybug, what do we do?"

She narrowed her eyes and scanned the vicinity. A nearby thicket caught her attention, then Black Raven's mouth, then a flash of gold around her neck.

 _The thicket makes sense, I guess - maybe try to trap her in it, get her cloak caught in the brambles? And it must be a necklace we're going after. Why her mouth in particular, though? I shouldn't need a hint to know to keep away from that. Am I supposed to throw her face-first into the thorns?_

"It _is_ a necklace!" she said, then mimed something around a neck, then a yanking gesture for Chat's benefit. He nodded, miming snagging it with his extended baton in return. Cautiously, the pair separated slightly, then moved forwards...

* * *

Nathalie opened her eyes, groggily. To tell the truth, she was starting to be a little bit surprised that she could open them at all.

"G-Gabriel?" she whispered, seeing him next to her. She looked down, saw him holding her hand, and tried to pull it away. "D-don't," she gasped. "I'm too dangerous."

Gabriel's eyes were kind, but his face betrayed just a hint of the jolts of pain he was feeling. "Nonsense, I will not leave you. Not like this," he insisted.

"I don't w-want you to leave..." Nathalie managed, "but let go. Just sit with m-me. You don't need to suffer. None of this is your f-fault."

"You are wrong about that, Nathalie," Gabriel replied, "but you are in no condition for an argument. Rest for me, now. What can be done is being done."

"What's t-that?" she asked.

"Ladybug and Chat Noir are trying to bring down the villain who attacked you, the transformed Nightingale. If they can, Ladybug might be able to reverse what happened, at least up to before what happened today."

"T-tell them not to," Nathalie whispered.

"What?" Gabriel looked completely stunned. "Why on earth _not?_ "

"You told me that Nightingale had c-cured Adrien. As much as he can be. That Adrien was out of d-danger," she replied. "Would it reverse _that,_ too?"

"I don't know," he said, quietly. "But I will not sacrifice one of you for the other."

"He's your _son,_ Gabriel!" Nathalie pleaded. "That's m-more important!"

 _Important?_ Gabriel winced, internally. _After what I just heard from Mr. Wang, I may be the last man on Earth who should be weighing the importance of anything. My selfish actions may cost..._

 _No,_ he insisted. _I must have faith, and keep up a brave face, for her sake._

"It is out of our hands for now, Nathalie," he soothed. "Is there anything I can do to ease your suffering?"

"L-let go of my hand, so I won't see you hurting too?" she replied.

"Out of the question," Gabriel insisted. "What else?"

"Just s-stay with me, for now. Talk to me. Take my mind off of this," Nathalie sighed. "And if it gets out of control, b-back away, _please_. Adrien can't lose you."

"I'm right here," smiled Gabriel. "Tell me what you want to do once this is all over with, and you are healed?"

"Well..."

* * *

Chat Noir lunged forward, feinting in Black Raven's direction, looking for an opening. "Cat vs. Bird! Who do you think wins _this_ fight?", he taunted her.

" **Bird,** " she retorted. " **The Cat has a claw that he dares not use. But my weapons are endless! The tongue like a sharp knife, kills without drawing blood. And that is only part of my arsenal.** "

With a wave of her arm, she sent a barrage of charged feathers in the heroes' direction, which they barely managed to dodge.

"We're not trying to kill you _or_ hurt you. But we _will_ stop you, however we have to," declared Ladybug.

" **Come, then,** " the villain beckoned. " **Learn what defiance will earn you.** **Don't think of it as dying... just think of it as leaving early to avoid the rush.** "

As Chat charged at her, she laughed out loud. " **The pen is mightier than the sword, they say. Let's see a sword do this!** "

Black Raven shouted out a couplet in a language Ladybug didn't recognize - _is that Latin?_ she wondered, briefly. Purely on instinct, Ladybug lashed out with her yo-yo and yanked Chat backwards. The sonic assault passed through where Chat had been a moment before, hit a sturdy tree behind that spot, and smashed right through it!

"Be CAREFUL, Chat!" she shouted as he regained his footing.

"We are running out of _time_ , Bugaboo," Chat shouted back, anxiously pointing to his covered ears. He lunged forward, a bit more cautiously, with a baton strike that Black Raven fended off with a sweep of her cloak.

 _Maybe another angle?_ thought Ladybug. _And he's right... I used my power, and I CAN'T leave him alone against her. I have to take a chance!_

She leapt up onto a nearby tree limb, readied her yo-yo, and waited for an opportune moment to hurl it and try to snag the necklace...

Without even looking in that direction, Black Raven pointed an arm behind her, sending a large stream of feathers squarely at Ladybug!

"GAAAAH!" she grunted, stunned by the unexpected blast. It was all she could manage to not fall to the ground; she collapsed onto the tree limb, limply.

" **Hah!** " Black Raven cackled, triumphantly. She turned her back on Chat and began floating higher, approaching the helpless Ladybug. " **Death will be peaceful. It's the transition that's troublesome,** " she intoned, readying a fatal couplet.

"NO!" shouted Chat, and thought became motion; Ladybug saw him leap into the air and instantly realized what he was doing.

"No, Chat!" she cried, weakly. "You _CAN'T_! Not _NOW!"_

"CATACLYSM!" bellowed Chat Noir, and his right hand burst forth with energy...

* * *

In Gabriel's mansion, a sudden gasp from Nathalie made him back off, involuntarily.

He watched, wide-eyed, as a pulse of black energy swept over her... and remained there.

* * *

Chat Noir stretched out with every ounce of his strength. _Please let me NOT miss this..._ he begged whoever might be hearing his thoughts.

His hand contacted Black Raven's cloak, then grabbed it firmly... and, in a shimmering burst, the cloak dissolved all at once!

" **Hey, what are you... Aaaaaagh!** " the villain cried out. Without its steadying influence, she lost control of her flight and tumbled downwards, straight into a thick bramble bush, scratched and tangled beyond recognition by its thorns. Chat fell hard as well, hitting the ground with a loud thud.

 _Tears later,_ thought Ladybug, rising to her feet and lunging at the fallen villain. _I have to act, NOW!_

In mid-air, she thought, _She may be pinned down, but her voice is still deadly... wait! Of course!_

Black Raven flinched at her approach, expecting a punch... but, instead, Ladybug whipped the earmuffs off of her head and stuffed one side of them squarely into the villain's astonished mouth!

" **HGGGGHHH... MMMMRRPH GNNNNF!** " Black Raven grunted, helplessly.

"Silence is golden, Black Raven. And so is this necklace." With a quick yank, Ladybug snapped the thin gold chain from around the villain's neck. As it came loose and broke apart, a purple butterfly appeared and fluttered away from it, aimlessly.

"Oh, no, you don't," Ladybug muttered, sending her yo-yo flying. A moment later, it snapped shut around the butterfly, a white flash was seen, and a purified version wafted out aimlessly.

"Bye-bye, little butterfly," smiled Ladybug... then she gasped with astonishment, as Black Raven was covered with a swirling energy effect and transformed back into her teacher!

"Oh, my gosh! Ms. Bustier! I'm so sorry! Are you all right?" Ladybug called to her, as the young teacher started coming to terms with waking up, thoroughly entrenched in a thorn bush, in an unknown woods.

"Do I... even want to know?" she muttered. "Ow!"

"I'll be right there! Try not to move," directed Ladybug. "I'll help you out of that, I just need to check on..."

Her words trailed off as she turned in Chat's direction... and saw a pulsing aura of thick black energy surrounding him.

* * *

Master Fu watched Wayzz's reactions carefully, and sighed. "You don't even have to say it, Wayzz," he muttered.

"We are not quite at the moment of complete catastrophe," the Kwami worried, "but we are _very close_."

* * *

 _Now to do this how Tikki told me to,_ thought Ladybug. _And QUICKLY!_

She grabbed her set of earmuffs from near Ms. Bustier, retrieved Chat's from next to his fallen form, and tossed both skyward with a little prayer...

"MIRACULOUS... LADYBUG!"

* * *

A cyclone of scarlet energy burst forth from the vanishing Lucky Charm objects... and, swiftly, it swept forth over the scene of the fight, repairing everything that it could. Marinette watched with considerable wonder, goggle-eyed, seeing the other hidden power of the Ladybug Miraculous at work for the first time.

She watched, anxiously, as Chat Noir transformed involuntarily back to Adrien. Plagg hovered over him, worriedly, as her own transformation ran out. "Marinette, can you get that lady out of that bush? I'll see what I can figure out here," Plagg asked her, and Marinette agreed with some reluctance.

Very gingerly, she bent twigs and branches out of the way and got Caline out of the thorn bush reasonably unharmed. "Thank you, Marin..." her teacher began, then stopped with a startled look on her face. "I _knew_ that I recognized you two," she said. "Marinette, how did this _happen?_ "

"Do you remember being Nightingale, Ms. Bustier?" asked Marinette, carefully.

"Yes... Yes, I was at the Agreste mansion, trying to - and then something happened to me - I don't - no, I mean, how did all THIS happen?" she replied, a bit flustered, waving her arms at Marinette and Adrien. "I had a feeling that it was going to be a unique school year, but now two of my students are _superheroes,_ out here risking their lives?"

"We'll have to talk about that later, okay? Things are _really complicated_ right now," evaded Marinette. "Though... now that you've been introduced to all of this the hard way, can I count on you for a couple of things?"

"Of course!" her teacher declared, regaining her composure. "What are they?"

"One is that you don't tell a soul about us, obviously. We're... not very good at keeping our secrets, but we're trying, okay? I don't want my family, or Adrien's, or people we know caught up in this if they don't have to be," pleaded Marinette.

"Can you tell me who else knows? That you know of, just so that I can keep my stories straight?" asked Caline.

"Each other. My parents. Adrien's father, and his assistant, Nathalie. Mylène Haprèle figured it out. And now, you," Marinette counted off. "That's everyone I know of." _Whom I can mention, anyway._

"Got it. I promise that I will keep both of your secrets safe, Marinette," she replied.

"Two... is that you're not all wrong to worry. There are scary things going on in Paris right now. A few minutes ago, you were one of them," Marinette added... then quickly shifted to a more comforting tone, as she saw Caline's startled expression. "And that was _not at all your fault!_ ", she insisted. "I don't think that you hurt anyone, and Ladybug's magic reversed whatever you did when you were possessed! You weren't in your right mind! We all know that..."

Marinette continued, hesitantly, "But, anyway... there might be times that I could use... well, someone who isn't one of my parents to talk these kinds of things out. And you are _exactly_ the type of kind and thoughtful person who could do that."

"Marinette," Caline replied, "I tell all my students that my door is always open. Your... after-school activities won't change that at all, okay?"

"And..." winced Marinette, "I don't know that they'll always be _after_ school _._ If weird things happen and all of a sudden Adrien and I need a bathroom break that instant..."

"I think that I'll understand why," smiled Caline. "Come here, Marinette."

She reached out and pulled Marinette in for a hug. "Thank you for saving me, Ladybug," she whispered. "People like you are so important to this world, because they have so much love to give. I'm proud of you, and I'll help you however I can."

"Thank you, Ms. Bustier. That means so much to me," Marinette whispered back. "Can you sit tight for a little while, and then one of us will get you home?"

A moment later, Marinette ran back to Adrien's side, seeing that the huge energy aura had dissipated from around him, and knelt down next to him with her nerves screaming at her. "Plagg, how is he?" she breathed.

"Better than he was... but look," Plagg said, glumly.

She looked down and saw a steady black pulse of energy around Adrien's right hand, showing no signs of lessening.

* * *

Gabriel's phone rang, as he had expected that it would at any moment, and he answered it immediately.

"One crisis down, one to go. How is Nathalie?" Master Fu asked, with urgency in his voice.

"I am not sure," Gabriel answered. "She had a sudden burst of the black energy, as bad as I have ever seen it! A minute later, some kind of reddish light swept through the room, and it lessened again... but it is building again as I speak, fairly rapidly! I had been holding her hand to lend her my own strength, but now, do I dare touch her again?"

"NO," exclaimed Fu. "Your survival is more important than your compassion right now! I fear the worst, and I will _need_ your strength."

"What can we do?" asked Gabriel, in a quavering voice.

"Watch her carefully," Fu ordered him. "If she remains lying there, quietly, we stand a chance. If her condition worsens, contact me immediately! I must ascertain what happened with Ladybug and your son just now, and then..." he trailed off.

"Then?"

"Then we may require _truly_ drastic measures."

* * *

"That was supposed to work," Marinette whimpered. "Why didn't it work? Tikki, Plagg, _why didn't Miraculous Ladybug work on him?_ How is he _worse_ now?"

"I'm not entirely sure," admitted Tikki. "It fixed the things that Black Raven did, the damage that she caused... but Adrien's problem happened long before she came along. Using Cataclysm tore open Nightingale's temporary fix, and the villain didn't do that... he did that on his own! But he did it while fighting the Akuma, so Miraculous Ladybug _should_ have fixed that... But did it also undo the temporary fix itself?"

Plagg hung his head. "I can't say, either. The magics were messed up before all of this happened, and if there's one Miraculous that is powerful enough to mess with the Ladybug's magic, it's mine." Flying in little circles, he looked as worried as Marinette had ever seen him.

"He did it to _save my life,_ " Marinette gasped, holding it all in by a thread. " _Please_ tell me that he hasn't just thrown _his own_ away!"

"He's PULSING," moped Plagg. "If Nathalie is the same way, and I can't imagine that she isn't... we are all in it _deep_."

"Should I-" began Marinette.

"Yes. CALL MASTER FU NOW," Plagg interrupted her. "And I _need_ to be in the conversation. He can't see or hear me on a cell phone camera, just like Tikki, so you'll be my voice. And there's something else that I _really, really_ need."

"What's that?" Marinette asked, pulling out her phone.

"FOOD! Tikki and I both need to eat something if we're going to be of any use to anyone."

"I have some macarons in my purse," offered Marinette. "That's Tikki's favorite, but I don't know what you like..."

"That's fine! Gimme," blurted Plagg. "Please."

Tikki watched, with an astonished look on her face. "...What is it?" Marinette asked her.

"Plagg, not holding out for stinky cheese... and saying 'please?'" gasped Tikki. "This IS a desperate situation!"

"This is no time for jokes!" demanded Plagg. "And I _know_ how strange that sounds, coming from me!"

"C'mere, you two. I'm calling now. Let's find out what's going on while you two recharge," she said, taking a few steps away while watching Adrien carefully.

* * *

"Ladybug is calling," Fu told Gabriel. "Be strong. Be watchful," he added, and switched over to Marinette's call.

"We've won the battle," an unsteady voice said to him, "...but we may have lost the war."

Marinette panned the camera over to show him the unconscious Adrien, so that Master Fu could see the energy around his arm, and she heard a sharp intake of breath on the line. "That didn't sound good," she noted, quietly.

"It is _not_ good, Marinette. Nathalie is in a similar state, somewhat worse off, and I fear that a chain reaction has begun."

"Master? Plagg needs to speak with you, urgently. I will be his voice," replied Marinette. "He's here, Plagg."

The Kwami flew up to the phone at Marinette's prompt and began rattling off details rapid-fire, with Marinette barely able to keep up. At one point, he tried shifting to Cantonese for easier comprehension... only for Marinette to snap at him, "You _know_ I can't pronounce that!", drawing a growl from him.

Once both fell silent, Ladybug asked, "Master Fu... what should we do? How can we fix this mess and SAVE them?"

A long pause followed.

Finally, a tired voice, sounding like his one hundred and eighty-seven years had caught up with him all at once replied, "Marinette... I have no idea."

* * *

"WHAT?" Marinette shrieked.

"I am truly sorry, Marinette," Master Fu sighed. "I am flying blind here, even _with_ the book! The last time that I know that this happened was hundreds of years ago, and the answer to 'how did they fix it that time?' is 'they didn't.' I am finding some pieces of a ritual that could possibly have an effect... but, as Plagg said he has told you, it is risky when the energies are _dormant._ It is suicidal when they're not. Gabriel's experiment, well-meaning as it was, blew that possibility out of the water."

He watched her face fall as he spoke. "I... do not know how to save Nathalie. I will keep trying, of course. If I can stabilize Adrien, I will! You have my word. But I need time to think of... SOMETHING else! I don't know what yet. And time may be precisely what we do not have."

"So what can we do?" asked Marinette, holding tears back.

"We save as many people as we can, for as long as we can. We evacuate everyone who needs it, if that becomes necessary. And we do _anything necessary_ to keep Nathalie and Adrien apart," insisted Master Fu. "Which will _not_ be easy, because if they're both pulsing with runaway Cataclysm energy, they will be drawn to each other. Like human magnets. I will direct Papillon as to what he can do, as well; we will need _more than_ every little bit of help we can get."

Tikki asked and Marinette repeated to him, "Could touching a powered-up person dissipate their energies? Like what happened with Dreadnaught?"

"If you wish to risk their lives! What happened to Dreadnaught, where Mylène wasn't hurt badly, was very, very lucky. At an advanced state, it might work, or they might scatter the victim to the four winds and just keep walking," Fu replied, matter-of-factly. "And we MAY need to attempt that if we reach a critical point."

He slumped down in his chair. "I am sworn to protect life at all costs, Marinette. A belief that I know that you share... but I _must_ prepare you for what may follow. If sacrificing one or a handful will save millions of others, it will haunt me _for the rest of my life..._ but it _will_ happen."

"Isn't there... one other option?" asked Marinette, hesitantly. "A last resort?"

"There is. And it is part of my calculus regarding sacrifice, and it is _highly_ unpredictable. It remains our _absolute_ last resort."

A groan from Adrien, lying close to them, announced that he was waking up. Seeing Marinette's agonized face, Fu directed her, "Go to him, now. I would speak with him, please."

* * *

Adrien focused his eyes and saw two familiar pools of blue staring down at him. _I could still get used to always waking up to those eyes,_ he thought. _Though maybe not quite like this._

"You're all right," he managed. "It worked."

"It did," Marinette replied, "And I owe you so much, and I am _so sorry_ that you had to do that! I was careless."

"No, you weren't, but we'll talk that out later." He stretched, then grabbed at his right arm. "Ow! I must've landed on... _oh."_

"About that," said Marinette, still barely holding it in, "someone needs to speak with you."

Adrien looked over at her phone, expecting to see the face of his father... and being visibly surprised, instead.

"Hello, Adrien," said Master Fu. "We have much that we need to discuss."

"I'll bet," mumbled Adrien, trying to focus. "Sir, are you the 'Guardian' that Marinette and Plagg were talking about?"

"I am," admitted Fu. He frowned for a moment, putting some mental puzzle pieces together... "Has Marinette..."

"...told me who she is?" finished Adrien. "She hadn't then, but yes, we had a moment this morning after I was healed. Or thought that I was healed, anyway."

"That is good for me to know. It simplifies what I can say in front of either of you," Fu smiled. "I have been watching over the Miraculous and their users since I was just over your age. I already know much of your story, from what both Marinette and your father have told me. I am pleased by what I have seen from you, and will help you as much as I can, but I will not sugarcoat it; we are all in _terrible_ trouble right now."

"I understand that, and I'll take the blame," Adrien gulped. He held up his right arm and added, "And I am prepared to do whatever is necessary about... this. What should I do?"

"I am trying to figure that out," Master Fu replied, "without much success. Some of it is obvious, of course; I need you to stay away from Nathalie at all costs, no matter how strongly the energy wants to pull you there. I expect that Nathalie will be overwhelmed first and come straight for you; you will have to play keepaway when every cell in your body is screaming not to. Plagg has told you the consequences if you do not, yes?"

"He has," agreed Adrien, grimly. "Can't I, like, get on a plane or something? Or pick a direction and just keep moving until I'm three countries away?"

"A good idea, but you would find that very hard on your mind and body," answered Fu. "With you and Nathalie each in an advanced state of this, your energies are feeding off of each other, basically. If you get too close, it will multiply out of control; but, if you get too far away, the withdrawal symptoms will be agonizing. It could kill you, her, or both! You will need to figure out a distance that feels decent and maintain it, transformed or not, even while you and she may both be on the move."

"So what other options do we have? How do we save Paris... or Nathalie?" Adrien asked.

Master Fu was silent for a moment.

* * *

Gabriel Agreste, glaring at his phone and mentally willing his Chinese acquaintance to call back, was distracted by a very loud moan from Nathalie. Turning to her, he saw that she was sitting up now, and struggling to return to her feet.

"Nathalie?" he called, wanting to help her but unable to touch her. _The energy aura is getting worse QUICKLY!,_ he thought. "What is it that is happening?"

"He h-has awakened," she said, simply.

"Adrien is awake? He was sleeping? How would you know that?"

"He has _awakened,_ " Nathalie repeated, with emphasis. "J-just as I have."

 _I do not like the sound of that one bit,_ thought Gabriel. "What does that mean?"

"Gabriel..." she began, and one look at her told Gabriel that she was barely hanging on to herself. "I'm a-almost out of time. I can feel it."

"That energy wave that passed through here... I suspect it had something to do with Ladybug, and with Black Raven's defeat. What did it do to you?" he persisted. "What can I do to help?"

Nathalie shuddered as she pulled herself to a standing position. Gabriel reached out to help her up, to give her something to brace against, but jerked back involuntarily.

"It helped... I think it d-did," she groaned. "That woman's powers helped me, but they also blocked me up somehow... and that wave reversed that. But n-now I'm where I was before, going out of control. And i-it's right on the edge!"

* * *

"Adrien, I am in contact with your father. He's... he's texting me right now, it looks like. He will keep me updated on Nathalie's condition, and that will help me determine the right action. For now, could you get our Nightingale home, now that her feathers have left her?" directed Master Fu.

"We can do that. We'll be in touch." Adrien turned in her direction, and did a double-take when he saw her face. "Whoa! M-Ms. Bustier! I... uh... presume that you were Nightingale?" he asked.

"The one and only. Hello, Adrien," Caline smiled. "We all have our own little secrets to keep now, don't we?" Her expression darkened when she saw the condition of Adrien's arm. "What in the world is THAT?"

"It's a lot of things, Ms. Bustier," Adrien explained. "It's what's kept me away from school and away from my home. It's what's hurt a lot of people - what's left of my family, my friends. Even the girl who saved me, kept me sane, rescued me more than once and looked out for me when I wouldn't do it myself, for no good reason other than that she is _absolutely amazing._ "

Caline watched Marinette turn into a big-eyed, wobbly puddle as Adrien spoke, and suppressed a tiny laugh.

"Somehow that last part doesn't surprise me in the slightest," she said, directing a small smile at Marinette.

"Okay, so... let's figure out how we're going to do this, before Master Fu calls back," blushed Marinette. "Adrien, I don't know that you can carry Ms. Bustier right now with your arm like that... but I don't want to leave you alone, either. Tikki, Plagg, are you two okay to transform?"

The Kwamis both gave a thumbs-up, Plagg dribbling some macaron crumbs down his chest as he did.

"Oh, _my!"_ Caline exclaimed, not having noticed the tiny pair before. "I'm... not imagining this, am I?"

"Oh! Hi, there!" smirked Plagg, shooting her a wave and a wink. Even in this desperate time, it was a complete moral imperative for him to enjoy the look on her face at that moment.

* * *

Master Fu stared at the new text message on his phone for a moment:

 **[Gabriel Agreste] Nathalie worsening rapidly. Says she and Adrien have "awakened." Close to lack of control. What CAN we do?**

 _Ancestors, forgive_ _me,_ he thought, _for what I must do now. This goes against every fiber of my being... but what choice do I have?_

Wayzz looked on with confusion as Master Fu became a blur, moving as quickly as a 187-year-old-man could possibly go. "Master? What is going on? I can feel the disruptions - _wow,_ that's not good!" he noted as he peeked at Fu's phone, "But what is it that you are..."

"I am going to save whoever I can. _Any way that I can,_ " Master Fu called from a back room, emerging with a look of complete determination on his face. "Let me be damned for what I do, not for what I do not. It is time to act."

"Haven't you already? You have sent out Ladybug to protect this city, this world! She has done a superb job so far of protecting Chat Noir-"

"She has! And even _she_ is not enough to save Paris," interrupted the old man. "I must do two things now."

* * *

Gabriel watched in horror as Nathalie stumbled forward, walking slowly, with the energy aura around her pulsing fiercely. He lunged for the door to the room, closing and locking it. "Nathalie, please!" he begged her. "Do not leave! It is not safe for you out there!"

"I d-don't want to, Gabriel," she intoned, in a scared voice. "But I _have_ to. I can feel him out there."

"Wait! Just a little longer! Fu will try to help you again. He will-"

"He will fail," Nathalie chided him. "The power is screaming in my mind, m-my willpower! I c-can't stop it now! _Please_ move, Gabriel. I don't w-want to hurt you."

Gabriel remained between Nathalie and the door. "Then do _not_ hurt me, or anyone else!" he pleaded. "Stay with me, please!"

"I can't st-stop myself, Gabriel," she said, mournfully. "My legs are moving on their own now. P-PLEASE do not throw your _life_ away!"

Looking into her eyes, realizing that she was being completely honest, and that her control of her body had been lost... Gabriel stepped aside.

As she reached the door, Gabriel made one last attempt to reach her. "Nathalie... know that I will _bend heaven and earth_ to save you! Every power I have, every action I can possibly take! Do not lose hope. I will _not_ give up on you."

"G-Gabriel," Nathalie replied, pausing at his heartfelt words, struggling mightily with her own. "I-I know, Gabriel. I LO... lo... LLLLL... I'm _so sorry."_

With that, she opened the door... and she was gone.

* * *

It was probably a good thing that no one happened to be watching the patio door of Caline Bustier's apartment at that moment.

"This is it?" Ladybug asked, landing gently, with Caline's arm over her shoulder and one arm around Caline's waist. Chat Noir dropped down next to them, a little less gracefully, but still functional.

"Yes, this is my home. Please remember it; you now have a standing invitation to visit, any time that either of you need me," Caline replied. "I'm still trying to process all of this. This has been _by far_ the most insane day of my life! But then I look at you two," she continued, "and I see two brave young people who, I'll wager, are dealing with this kind of craziness _all the time_."

Ladybug looked down, a little embarrassed. "We have our good days and our bad days," she said, and Chat nodded in agreement.

"Ladybug, Chat, listen to me, okay?" their teacher asked. "I _really_ want you to know this. The responsibilities you have with these powers... I don't know how you got them, or who gave them to you, but I felt them for just a couple of hours and I was _overwhelmed!_ And I'm a grown-up who's supposed to have some understanding of her own life. Marinette, you are an absolutely amazing young woman... and if I _had_ to pick someone your age to be Ladybug, it _would_ be you... but I feel so terrible for you, with all of this pressure on you."

"And you, Adrien..." she continued, turning his way. "I've known Marinette for a couple of years now, but I'm just starting to get to know you. And I can't pretend that I understand the full implications of... _that,"_ she said, pointing to his pulsing right arm. "But I've liked everything I've seen of you so far in my classroom. Now that I know _why_ you've been so mysterious, a lot of things fell into place for me. From what I'm told, you made a huge personal sacrifice to save me, and I can never thank you enough for that!"

"And if Marinette vouches for you, and her bright red face as I say that tells me how much that she does, that's good enough for me," she added with a wink that made Ladybug even redder.

"Marinette was selected for this, and I can easily see why, even if she doesn't always believe it herself," Chat said to Caline. "I... shouldn't have this power. I took it without asking, I tried to do something foolish, and I caused this entire crisis. I've made mistake after mistake after mistake."

"Then why do you still have it? Why are you trying so hard to use it to fix the problem, to protect people?" asked Caline, pointedly.

"Because it's the right thing for me to do," Chat answered, softly. "The only thing."

"And _that_ is why I think that it's in good hands," she smiled back. "Do me one favor, both of you? I'll sleep better knowing that the two of you are out there protecting Paris. But whatever you do... don't lose yourselves in these new roles of yours completely, okay? Remember to be yourselves, to be happy, to be young. This world needs a Marinette and an Adrien just as much."

* * *

With a monumental effort, Gabriel forced himself to answer his phone, which had been ringing repeatedly for the last five minutes.

"Gabriel? I need an update! How is-" Master Fu's voice insisted.

"Gone," said Gabriel, nearly inaudibly. "I couldn't stop her. She's moving slowly... but she's moving."

"And you, Gabriel?" Fu asked.

 _"...Broken."_

Hearing the emotion in Gabriel's voice, Fu weighed his next sentence carefully. "Forgive me, my friend... but I have _desperate_ need of your Miraculous right now. I have a makeshift plan to protect Paris for as long as I can, and I will need your help."

"...Agreed," Gabriel said, after a moment's reflection. "Too much is at stake. Tell me what I should do."

"I will need a _very specific_ power set for your butterfly to carry forth. I do not know whom would be most suited for it, but I will trust your judgment in that," instructed Fu. "Can you attempt this for me? For Paris?"

"Nooroo, my little friend?" replied Gabriel, bringing his Kwami out into the open, obediently. "One last time, if you would, please... spread your wings."

* * *

Next time:

* Master Fu's master plan.

* "You did tell me that I could do that, remember?"

* "I... DON'T... CARE!"

* When all else fails... what then?

* One last time, indeed.


	20. Elvis Has Left The Building

Let's Take It From The Top, Chapter 20: Elvis Has Left The Building

* * *

The old man ran.

"Running" was, perhaps, the wrong word for what Master Fu was doing. One did not reach his advanced age without losing some mobility, after all. And over a hundred and eighty-odd years, a person with the right training and the right mystical background learned a few shortcuts; stepping through a shadow or two, creating a momentary portal here and there, using an ancient sage's intuition to appear at precisely the right place when needed.

At least he _hoped_ that these were the right places, anyway. Any thoughts of triage, testing and weighing others' souls were out the window now; the situation was far too desperate to be able to make any reasonable judgments. Master Fu knew that the only hope that many Parisians had left was for him to cast the dice however they may land and hope for the best.

As he left his last stop, he wheezed heavily from exhaustion. Wayzz hovered over him, worriedly. "Master, take a moment! You're about to fall over," the Kwami said.

"Y-yes... Wayzz... I must," panted Master Fu. "This may be... the fastest I have m-moved... since I was a boy. And I am clearly not one any more."

"Is this going to be enough to... fix things?" Wayzz asked.

"No. But it will buy time and save many who are in immediate peril," wheezed Master Fu. "If Papillon succeeds in what I asked him to do, that will help make this work. It may be the edge that we need in this moment."

"And then...?" the Kwami persisted.

Master Fu looked him in the eye, wearily. "You _know_ what then."

* * *

"HEY! Get back here, Fang! I _need_ that!"

Penny Rolling sighed, covering the phone that she held to her ear, trying to shield the person on the other end of the line from the chaos around her. "Yes, a red-eye flight would be preferable," she explained. "Jagged's crocodile, Fang, hates flying in the daytime..."

She watched as a large crocodile trotted through her part of the hotel suite they were in, a guitar in its mouth, with an unkempt rockstar in his underwear chasing after it and shaking his fist.

 _Oh, what I have to deal with, keeping this guy in line..._ she smiled, internally. _But it's okay. He's only insane on days ending in 'Y'._

"What? No, no, that will be fine," she continued, clicking the pen in her other hand nervously. "Yes, the crocodile will pay for its own seat. It is trained not to eat other passengers."

Just as quickly, Jagged Stone ran back in the direction he had come from, with a soccer ball in his hands and a crocodile in hot pursuit.

"...Yes. Yes, I see. Yes, Mr. Stone will gladly purchase the other seats in that section along with his own. I completely understand why the crocodile's presence might make other passengers a little nervous."

"Hey, love! Is it all worked out now?" called Jagged from the next room, over the sounds of toppling furniture.

"Yes, I think so!" she called back, covering the mouthpiece. "I..."

"You what?" Jagged replied, hearing her trail off into silence. He poked his head into the room where Penny was standing. "Penny, what did you... WHAT THE HECK IS THAT?"

He gaped at the giant silver butterfly hovering in front of his assistant. It touched her pen and vanished, and he saw a sparkling energy signature appear in front of Penny's eyes. "ROCK AND ROLL!" he shouted. "Penny, where did you get THAT from! It's GOT to be part of the stage show in our next gig..."

"Jagged?" Penny said, quietly, listening to the voice in her head. "I think I might have to concentrate on something _else_ for a little while..."

* * *

In her bedroom, Alya Cesaire settled in to watch a little television. _This ought to be good!_ she thought. _Face to Face is supposed to be all about Ladybug and Chat Noir tonight! I bet I can get some great information for my blog from this..._

"Tonight, you'll have the opportunity of a lifetime. The chance to learn all about Ladybug and Chat Noir!" the host began. "Along with me, Nadja Chamack. We'll be revealing some sizzling hot information we've researched about your favorite superheroes, and interviewing people who've seen them up close!. Don't be..."

She reached up to her ear, hearing something over the earpiece that she wore, and her face appeared quite startled. "...I'm sorry, ladies and gentlemen, we have breaking news! We take you now live to Madeleine – Vendôme."

A reporter appeared, visibly distressed. "Are we on? This is Henri Bouchard, for TV 5 News. We are at the scene of a major disturbance in the Madeleine – Vendôme section of Paris. A mysterious menace has been reported walking the streets, surrounded by some kind of destructive black energy, which is growing by the moment. We do not know the identity of the... we believe it's a woman, or what she wants. She is..."

"THERE!" someone shouted. "OVER THERE!"

The camera shifted focus, and the reporter scurried to keep up with it. "Are you getting this, Thomas? We have a sighting! Zoom in, we don't want to get close." The camera view adjusted to show the glowing woman from a distance, marching steadily towards an unknown destination.

"Okay... the woman has not engaged in openly hostile behavior as of yet, but police have instructed _everyone_ to stay clear of her. They have received warnings from local scientists that the energy around her is unknown to them, but potentially explosive, 'off the charts,' as one of them put it off the record," the reporter continued. "Please stay tuned for more information and for potential evacuation orders..."

Alya gasped. _That looks an awful lot like the woman that Ladybug and Chat Noir confronted the other night!_ she thought. _She nearly killed Chat Noir, from what witnesses said, and took out Dreadnaught with one touch! And her energy aura is nearly TWICE the size now!_

 _I really wish that there was something I could do to help..._

She turned to the end table by her bed, reaching for a drink she'd left there. Next to her glass, she found a small black box, roughly hexagonal, that had definitely not been there before.

 _What in the WORLD...?_

* * *

Ladybug and Chat Noir dropped lightly onto the roof of a bank, a few blocks down from Ms. Bustier's apartment, now that they were satisfied that she would be all right. Both sets of eyes were focused on Chat's right arm, which continued to pulse steadily.

"Marinette..." Chat said, hesitantly. "You have to promise me something... When-"

 _"If._ Not _when,"_ snapped Ladybug. "Don't talk as if any of this is inevitable. We're going to find a way. Master Fu will. I'm _sure of it_."

"Marinette..." he replied, stepping closer. "IF something happens to me, if this goes out of control... I have to know that you're not going to try anything _crazy_ to save me, okay? I couldn't live with myself if you got hurt because of me."

"I couldn't live with _myself_ if I could have done something, and I didn't, and you suffered because of that," parried Ladybug. "You understand that, too, right? It's why I have these powers."

"You have those powers because you are amazing, and kind, and compassionate, and so many other things," Chat smiled. "It has nothing to do with sacrificing yourself when you don't need to."

"I'll be the judge of when I need to, Adrien. Believe me, I don't _want_ either of us to have something happen," she said, softly. "We'll cross that bridge IF we ever get to it."

"Maybe, in a weird way, it'd be for the best," Chat ventured. "I caused all of this. I brought this on myself. If I-"

"NO," Ladybug shouted, cutting him off. She stared into his eyes and continued, "I didn't ask for _any_ of this, Adrien. I didn't ask for superpowers, or for a little magic friend, or for the boy who wouldn't stop _staring_ at me the first week of school to collapse onto my balcony and make me fall in love with him. None of that. But it all happened! And you know what, Adrien? _That_ was the _worst_ thing that ever could've happened to you."

She stepped forward, until they were nose-to-nose, doing her best to hold back a breakdown. "Because now you're _stuck_ with me, Mister. No matter what. And nothing's ever going to change that, so don't you even _think_ about trying to be noble and saying 'goodbye.'"

Chat put his right arm behind him, carefully, and wrapped his left around Ladybug's waist. "I will never, ever, _ever_ want to," he whispered.

They kissed, hard and needful, like two people not sure if they would ever get another chance.

* * *

Without warning...

 _ **Hello. Your attention, please?**_

"Did... you just hear that?" asked Chat, looking alarmed.

"...Yeah! A woman's voice in my head, right?" said Ladybug, and Chat nodded in agreement. "Who or what could that have been?"

 _ **Yes, you really are hearing this.**_

"Show yourself!" called Chat, assuming a defensive stance.

"Hold on, Chat," Ladybug cautioned. "This is... kind of like how Papillon communicates? Except that it's not him. Whoever it is, she doesn't sound hostile."

 _ **Ladybug and Chat Noir appear to be not far from the Panthéon at the moment... please proceed there. And hello, Ladybug and Chat, please stand by.**_

"Uh..." Chat said, perplexed.

"Do you think we should go there now?" asked Ladybug. "It sounds like she was talking to us.. but also to someone _other_ than us."

"What have we got to lose?" Chat shrugged, and they headed in that direction.

* * *

In his mansion, Papillon smiled. "It sounds like you are a natural for this role _,"_ he projected outwards through his energy connection with the host.

 _It seems like it!_ he heard in his head. _It's... a little bit of a strain, but I think it's manageable for a while._

"Keep in touch with me, and I will guide you in guiding them. Please hold on as long as you can; your doing this at all is greatly appreciated. I don't know who else would be capable of this," said Papillon.

 _If things are as bad as you said they are... how can I not try? I'll do my best._

Papillon ran to his car, not really caring if anyone saw his transformed form at this point, and gunned the engine. The disembodied voice in the air would, for once, not be his; he had a strong suspicion that this time, a far more personal touch would be necessary.

* * *

Chat Noir leaned against one of the pillars along the front of the Panthéon. "Okay, Mysterious Voice In My Head!" he called out. "Is this the part where everybody leaps out and yells 'Happy Birthday?'"

"... _Is_ it your birthday?" wondered Ladybug.

"Well, no, but does the voice know that?" grinned Chat, making Ladybug roll her eyes.

"You are hopeless, you know that?" she laughed. "But I bet that we'll find out pretty quickly who is-"

 ***WHOOOOOOSH!***

One moment, the two of them were alone. A heartbeat later, a white blur appeared before their eyes, as if she'd been standing there all along.

"Hi there!" the girl exclaimed, brightly. "You two must be Ladybug and Chat Noir. Am I the first one here?"

Chat stumbled backwards, startled by her sudden appearance. She had a white costume with light brown trim, long pink-and-white ears on top of her head, and what appeared to be red running shoes on her slightly oversized feet. Her manner seemed oddly familiar, but he couldn't place who she might be underneath.

"You can call me _Rabbit Transit_!" she said. "I found a weird box in my room, opened it, and the next thing I knew, a little rabbit told me to say some magic words and then come find you. So, here I am! Now what?"

"We... didn't send for you ourselves, but we're glad to have you here!" Ladybug replied. "I think we'll need all the help we can get. What did you mean by... 'the first one here?'"

They heard heavy footfalls a short distance away, among other unfamiliar sounds. "Oh, nobody told you?" Rabbit Transit grinned. "I think it's about to get crowded around here."

* * *

Master Fu sat on a bench in central Paris, regaining his strength. "Okay," he breathed. "I think I'm ready again."

From his shirt pocket, Wayzz looked on with some remaining concern. "Good, Master. What's our next step?"

"Do you sense any further disruptions from either Chat Noir or Nathalie?" Fu asked.

The Kwami concentrated for a moment, then shook his tiny head. "They're about where they were when we left," confirmed Wayzz. "Nathalie is out of control, Chat Noir is... close, but not quite yet."

"Thank goodness... That should buy enough time for most, and hopefully all of my deliveries to be found and understood. Once that happens, we-"

 _ **Hello. Your attention, please?**_

Fu jumped for a moment, hearing a strange voice in his head, then smiled at Wayzz. "Excellent! It sounds like Papillon was successful as well!"

"Is THAT what that was?" asked Wayzz. "It sounded like someone standing behind me shouting through a megaphone!"

"But no one else heard it," noted Fu, gesturing to people walking by at a normal pace. "If it had been out loud, they would have-"

 _ **Yes, you really are hearing this.**_

"...have definitely reacted to _that,_ " he chuckled. He closed his eyes for a moment and thought hard. _Greetings, young hero!_

A slightly quieter voice was the response in Fu's head. _Hello... to you, too?_ he heard. _I see that this can go two-way._

 _If one knows how a Miraculous works, yes. Do not be afraid. My name is Fu. I will guide you, just as Papillon will,_ Fu thought. _You can detect Miraculous energies around the city?_

 _I can,_ the voice said. _It's pretty neat, actually! It's like I have a map in my mind's eye, and I see glowing dots on it. More and more as I speak, in fact!_

 _Please direct our new friends to where Ladybug and Chat Noir are, and we can go from_ there, directed Fu.

 _You got it..._

* * *

"Okay! So... hello, everybody. I suppose you're all wondering why we gathered you here today," Chat Noir began, hesitantly. "...And so are we, because we weren't the ones who did it."

He and Ladybug stood, a bit stunned, at who and what stood before them. _It's like... a menagerie, or a convention, or something!_ thought Chat. _Where did THEY all come from?_

Ladybug put her hand on Chat's shoulder and asked, "Let me handle this, honey?" He grinned back at her as she stepped forward.

"Um... hi! My name is Ladybug. This is Chat Noir. Some of you may have seen us on the news a couple of times... we have costumes with magical powers, just like I'm assuming that all of you have. If there's anyone here who DOESN'T have superpowers, or who didn't just make a new, floating magical friend... now's the time to go home, okay? This isn't some kind of role-playing thing, or a flash mob, or anything like that; this is a very dangerous situation. Believe it or not, this is _for real."_

She saw a chubby man in an owl costume slump down and begin to walk away, visibly disappointed. The remainder stayed, giving Ladybug their full attention.

"Okay... wow! I'm a little overwhelmed. I knew that Chat Noir and I weren't the only ones in Paris with these powers... but... FOURTEEN OF YOU?" she laughed, counting heads quickly. "Someone I know has been very busy."

A short, roundish man with visible horns raised his hand. "Yeah, uh... can you tell us what's going on here? I was eating lunch, I found a little box, and a floating goat thing told me I'd been picked for something. What's happening to us?"

A few other voices piped up in agreement. Ladybug scanned the small crowd. Some of them looked familiar - _holy crap, that HAS to be Alya over there! Hi, girl!_ Some were harder to tell; there was a diverse mix of body types, ages and genders, from what she could tell from a glance.

"I'll tell you everything I can. First off, I can assure you that these transformations are temporary..."

* * *

Chat watched with more than a little admiration as Ladybug delivered a combination of an explanation, a Q-and-A session and a pep talk to the new heroes. _She's a natural at this,_ he smiled.

"...So, that's what the threat is," Ladybug stated. "This is not someone you should expect to try to _fight_ ; I assume you weren't brought here for that. We are going to have to find some way to contain her without hurting her, or -"

A voice popped up in Ladybug's head, startling her. _Ladybug, can you hear me?_ it asked. _Think your answer back at me, like you were talking to me and I was next to you._

 _I... can hear you,_ Ladybug thought. _I'm staring at a whole zoo-full of animal heroes. Was that your doing?_

 _Great! That's what Papillon and Fu wanted. I'll explain it from here._

Abruptly, the voice increased in volume and timbre, clearly reaching everyone now rather than just Ladybug.

 _ **Hello! I am a representative of Papillon, another of the heroes of Paris. Thank you all for coming! You can call me... the Coordinator. My power is to know where all of the Miraculous and their hosts are, and to communicate with them. I can reach you all at once, like this. Or I can contact one or more of you and not the others. I'll show you... everyone who hears me say the name of a fruit in their heads, raise their hands.**_

Chat heard a soft voice think _Banana_ at him, and raised his hand, as did four of the heroes in the crowd. Ladybug looked at him, a little confused until she realized what had happened.

 _ **Papillon empowered me to help all of you protect Paris today. As I'm sure Ladybug told all of you, you are not here for punches, kicks and power blasts. You are on a mission of protection and evacuation, not fighting. I will help direct you to those in the most danger; we will need all of you to save those in the path of the energized woman, get them to where they're safe, and help keep her away from Chat Noir. More lives are at stake than you know.**_

"If she touches us, what happens?" asked the Rooster, a tall, slim man.

"Think it back as if you were talking to Coordinator in your head, don't say it out loud," grinned Ladybug. "She'll hear it."

A moment later, the voice responded, _**We don't know for sure, but it WON'T be good for you. Trust us on that.**_

"Greaaaaat..." muttered the Dog, until the Ox elbowed him, gently.

"Pay attention," the Ox replied. "She knows what she's doing up there."

Ladybug concentrated for a moment, as the Coordinator gave her the list of hero names the users had chosen. "I need a couple of you to stay with Chat Noir and help him stay on the move. If _he_ starts going out of control, if more than his arm starts glowing, please tell Coordinator immediately. Let's see... Buzzbomb, Baconator, Wukong?"

The Monkey host grinned at her. "That's The Great and Powerful Sun Wukong, the Monkey Ki-"

"I am _not_ saying that whole thing every time I refer to you. Sorry," Ladybug giggled. "The rest of us, let's split up a bit. I need to see the woman up close, so Rabbit Transit, Hornhead, Slither, let's go together. The rest of you, spread out around the area where we're going and look for people who need help, okay? Be gentle, but if she's coming your way, don't take no for an answer. And DON'T ENGAGE!"

 _Coordinator... tell us where to go, please,_ she thought.

 _ **For now, our target is the** **Place Vendôme; that's where she's at now. She's headed this way, so Chat's escort group, try going south and east, okay?**_

"All right... let's do this!" called Ladybug.

She looked back at Chat Noir, as a cheer rose up from the group. "I'll be back soon, I promise. Stay safe," she ordered him, softly.

"You, too. Come back to me."

* * *

Papillon did his best to stay calm. _Things are going according to plan... so far. But so many things can go wrong... and while this is necessary, this isn't a solution, is it?_

He activated his private connection to Penny's transformed state. "You are performing marvelously so far, Coordinator," he told her. "How does it feel on your end?"

Her voice had a slight edge to it. _It's... a strain on me, but I'm handling it for now._

 _She'll only be able to handle it for so_ _long,_ he thought, privately. _We have a time limit and we don't know what it is._

"I am asking a great deal of you, and I know that," assured Papillon. "One question - you can see Nathalie on your 'map', but can you talk to her? Can she hear you?"

 _I don't think so,_ Coordinator thought back. _I can sense the energy around her, but she doesn't have a Miraculous of her own, right?_

"No, she does not. That is actually good and bad - I'd like to speak with her, but I don't know if she is 'herself' inside right now, and if she is not we may not want her eavesdropping." Papillon scratched his chin, idly. "All right. I am en route, so I should turn this off for now. Telepathy and driving isn't quite as bad as texting and driving... but it's close."

* * *

Ladybug swung towards Nathalie's last reported location, feeling like she was going out of her mind. She saw a greenish, serpentine figure beneath her, not so much running over as gliding along the ground, riding a faint energy trail. A burly man with ram horns made mighty leaps, looking like he was having the time of his life. And a white blur joined her along the rooftops at intervals; she could swear that the girl was running up and down the sides of the buildings, rather than going around them.

"Rabbit, you good?" she asked, on one of her lupine ally's closer passes. "Don't burn up all your energy getting there."

"Nah, this is effortless!" Rabbit Transit grinned back. "If there's one thing I like and I'm good at, it's going fast."

"Still, be careful. I remember one time I was going as fast as I could, I got distracted, and WHAM! Straight into a billboard. I bet they wondered where the Ladybug-shaped dent in it came from..."

Rabbit Transit laughed loudly at that, before dashing ahead. Ladybug saw the white blur take off up the street, then come back to her side rapidly. "Uh-oh, boss. I think our villain's in sight," said Rabbit, pointing down the middle of the street. "Look."

"She's... not a _villain._ Not like in the classic sense, anyway. What happened to her wasn't her fault," chided Ladybug, seeing the shimmer of Nathalie's energy in the distance. "But she _is_ dangerous. I'm swinging down to see if I can reach her, if the woman who's in there can still respond."

 _Closing in and confronting the... what shall we call her, anyway? I don't want to stick her with some villainous name that makes her sound evil,_ she thought.

 _The Entity, perhaps? The Target? I'm trying to think of something good, myself,_ came the response. _The Cocoon?_

 _I like that last one. The Energy Cocoon. If we can somehow dispel that, our problem is solved._

With a last glance over the surroundings, working out the best lines of escape in case things went badly, Ladybug moved in. The others followed, keeping a reasonable distance behind her.

* * *

Chat Noir kept on the move, slowly, with his new companions close by. "I'm not sure why I need three of you... but, well, good to meet you!" he called to them.

"Likewise," replied... _Buzzbomb, that was what she called herself,_ thought Chat. She was a slightly chubby woman underneath, from what he could tell. "To be honest, I'd rather be in the thick of it, where we could make a fine mess with these powers! But I'll steer to the course I'm told," she added.

"If... the other half of this power gets too close to me, you'll have all the mess you can handle," sighed Chat. "And if I get out of control myself, that's why you three are here - to try to contain ME. Do you know what powers you have to do that yet?"

Baconator piped up, a young man in a porcine costume and a policeman's hat. "I can give it a try," he said. "My weapon looks like Chinese finger-cuffs... and my power is creating walls of energy. Like cages, barriers, that kind of thing... to detain the bad guys so they can't get away."

"That might work. And I _love_ the name," grinned Chat. "How about you others?"

"The Great and Powerful Sun Wu..." began Wukong, stopping at a groan from his three companions. "FINE!" he laughed, "you're no fun! I am Wukong. _I..._ lack my Compliant Rod, so I cannot test your skill with that baton of yours! But I have this hoop, which I can use in a dozen acrobatic ways, and when energized, it becomes the legendary circlet that contracts and forces the obedience of whom it contains."

"You're... sure you're new at this?" Chat asked. "You seem like you've been rehearsing that speech for years. How about you, Buzzbomb?"

"A venom strike, I'm told," she replied. "A stinger that could drop you where you stood. For a while, anyway."

"I wouldn't get too close to me if you don't have to... but it sounds like Ladybug had good instincts. Any of those _might_ contain me for a while. For now, I'm not there yet, so let's not jump the gun on that!" laughed Chat. "A little further southeast, until we get further instructions."

His inner thoughts were filled with more concern, however. _That... "pull" is getting stronger by the minute, and it's starting to get to me. If I didn't have this Miraculous, I'd be as out of control as Nathalie apparently is..._

* * *

Ladybug landed a short distance away from Nathalie, watching her carefully. She could still see the woman inside the energy cocoon, but barely. _This is thicker than the last time,_ she thought. _Probably that much more dangerous!_

"Nathalie? Can you hear me?" she called, loudly. "It's Ladybug. I helped you before. Are you in there, in any control of yourself?"

There was no audible response, but she saw Nathalie turn in her direction and begin creeping forward, causing Ladybug to start walking backwards. "Be calm, if you can hear me in there. We're not here to _hurt_ you. We want to help you stop this," Ladybug continued.

"C-c-c-can't sto-o-o-op," came the response, in a distorted and echoing voice.

"Oh, boy," muttered Ladybug. She thought, _Coordinator? I think Nathalie's not home right now, if you know what I mean. That could change our tactics._

 _Got you, Ladybug,_ Coordinator replied. _A fourth hero is close by and closing on your position, in case he's needed._

"Rabbit, Slither, Hornhead?" said Ladybug, as calmly as she could. "Focus on the Cocoon. Whoever's in her path, wherever she's headed, I need you three to get them out of the way, FAST. I'll try to lead her down the middle of the street where she'll be in the open."

The trio moved quickly, checking on cars on the street and people remaining in the buildings on either side. The white blur of Rabbit Transit seemed to get Nathalie's attention, and she moved faster in its direction.

"Hey! Nathalie, eyes on me, okay? You want me, not them," Ladybug insisted. With a bit of horror, she saw the pavement under Nathalie's feet cracking and buckling. _The Cataclysm energy is starting to dissolve everything around her, not just with a purposeful touch! What happens if that KEEPS expanding?_ she worried.

Hornhead leapt down beside Ladybug, off to her right, having successfully cleared a building on his side of the road. "Can I help, Ladybug?" he asked. "How do we fight her?"

"We d-don't!" Ladybug stammered. "Keep your distance, okay? I don't want you to-"

She was interrupted by the sight of an energy whip reaching out from the cocoon, like a tentacle, lashing out at the nearby Hornhead!

"MOVE!" Ladybug shouted. She grabbed Hornhead with her yo-yo and yanked hard, pulling him away just before the whip smashed the pavement where he'd been standing. With a quick spin, like a hammer-thrower at a track meet, she hurled Hornhead behind her as hard as she could. He bounced twice before regaining his feet, and Ladybug turned to see -

"NO!" came a scream from behind her, as another whip was zeroing in on Ladybug rapidly!

Ladybug tried to cover up, not knowing if it would do any good... she heard a loud, thumping, rhythmic sound nearby... and suddenly, she felt a huge weight smash into her, sending her flying!

* * *

Papillon's car screeched to a halt, a block away from where Ladybug and Nathalie had been reported. "Coordinator! What is happening?" he called.

 _Ladybug's been hit, hard!_ called Coordinator. _I think she's... no, she's safe, for now. That was a near thing, though._

He considered his options and edged closer to the fight. _I'm not here to fight Nathalie,_ he thought, _but perhaps _I_ can reach her with words where others cannot?_

As he moved in, so did another, smaller figure...

* * *

Ladybug reeled, overwhelmed by sudden motion. _Did the whip hit me?_ she wondered. _No - I'm moving sideways, like something's carrying me -_

With a grunt, the force propelling her hit the brakes, the two of them rolling to a stop some distance away. Ladybug realized that two burly arms were wrapped around her, wriggled free, and regained her footing.

"Whoa! That was quite a ride..." she began. Once her vision cleared, she saw a large man in an Ox costume by her side.

"You did tell me that I could do that, remember? Hit you as hard as I could, and it wouldn't hurt you?" said the Ox. "It seemed like a very good time to try that out."

Ladybug blinked in recognition.

"...DAD?"

"The Blue Ox, for right now. Though I'm not quite as big as the fabled Babe, huh?" he grinned back at her.

She lunged forward and hugged him tightly, then whispered, "...Thank you. Just be careful out here, okay? Mom would _kill_ me if something happened to you because you were out here protecting me."

"I could say the same, couldn't I?" argued Tom. "I'm just doing what the Kwami told me to - trying to keep people from getting hurt."

Ladybug grinned, then gestured to him. "C'mon. There's no one else who could make me feel safer, having my back," she beamed, as they moved towards the fray again.

* * *

"Chat Noir? Are you all right?" called Baconator, looking at him a little warily.

Chat stood still, catching his breath and gathering his will. He looked to Baconator as if he was sweating, trying to overcome something painful.

"I'm... okay," he gasped. "She's either getting stronger or closer. Or both. Let's keep moving."

He looked down at his right arm, and was displeased to see that the energy pulse now went almost all the way up to his shoulder. _THAT'S not a good sign,_ he thought, grimly.

Chat looked over at Wukong, who had his hoop in hand and seemed itching to say the magic words to activate it, and waved him off. "Not yet!" Chat insisted. "I'm pretty sure that you'll _know_ when. If I'm still talking to you, I'm still okay, right?"

Wukong shrugged. "For now," he mused. "But we're not here to let you wander off the moment that you're not."

"Fair enough," agreed Chat, with a grimace. "Let's go that way for now."

* * *

Papillon stepped forward, nervously, taking in all of the chaos surrounding him. The dark figure in the ball of energy noticed his presence and turned to face him, halting her advance momentarily.

"Nathalie... it's me," he called to her. "You know who I am. I am here to support you... to bring you home."

She took a tiny step forward, and paused again. "G-Gabriel?" he heard.

"Yes, it's me. Coordinator, I am going offline momentarily," Papillon replied. "Nooroo, fold your wings."

In a white flash, he reassumed the familiar form of Gabriel Agreste. _Anyone who is anywhere near this place is running, not recording this,_ he thought to himself. _And this is more important than my secret, anyway._ "See? It's me, Gabriel! Nathalie, it is not too late to stop this. Take a deep breath for me."

"I... You have n-no idea what this feels l-like," Nathalie moaned. "I can't cont-trol it. I'm way past th-hat."

She took another small step forward, then another, before halting herself again.

"Keep talking," a low voice said, from just behind Gabriel. "Don't turn around. Keep your focus on her. This may be our one chance."

"I know that you do not want to hurt anyone, Nathalie," pleaded Gabriel. "And no one is here to hurt _you_. Just listen to my voice. I am begging you! If you keep going, terrible things can happen. To you, to Adrien, to me, to all of Paris."

Her stutter-steps continued, starting to once more become regular. "S-s-s-so sorry," she gasped. "Can't... stop. Don't want t-to hurt... you... Gabriel... _m-move_!"

"I will not move. For your sake, Nathalie. For all our sakes. Please, fight this!"

Gabriel's voice remained steady, but his nerves were quivering as Nathalie kept advancing. _She's already been unable to stop herself once,_ he thought, _and that crackling energy looks insanely dangerous..._

Tendrils of energy began to lash out near him, trying to arc to his position, and he tried to suppress the impulse to scream and turn and run -

"SHELLTER!" called the voice from behind him, and a green energy dome sprang into existence over the two of them!

 _What in the WORLD?_... thought Gabriel, and then it clicked into place for him. "Thank you, my friend. You have a knack for being where you are most needed, I see," he said, without taking his eyes off of Nathalie.

"Don't thank me yet," muttered the Jade Turtle, clearly straining hard. "Don't know how long... this will hold her off... Back away slowly with me. We must... talk. NOW."

* * *

Ladybug and Blue Ox rounded the corner, quickly... just in time to witness Gabriel being covered by a green shield, a small green figure behind him stumbling backwards, and energy tendrils sparking as they contacted the dome.

"Let's get over there, D... Blue Ox!" Ladybug called, and the pair got close to the scene at the moment where the shield started to flicker and the smaller man dropped to one knee.

"Blue, pick him up, gently!" she directed. "Gabriel... are you all right?"

"Thanks to him, yes. But we have to keep moving!" replied Gabriel, pointing to the still-advancing Nathalie.

In a flash, Rabbit Transit made her presence known. "Somebody call for a taxi?" she quipped.

"Perfect! Okay, let's do this. Blue, let's get... Mr. Turtle here to safety. We'll head in the last known direction of Chat Noir and his group, off to the southeast. Rabbit, scout for us. There shouldn't be anything ELSE between us and them - there's only one Energy Cocoon - but you can make sure we're going the right way. Gabriel... can you transform back?"

Gabriel and Blue Ox both stared at Ladybug for a moment, marveling at how the young woman assumed control of the situation by instinct. "I... think so," Gabriel said. "Nooroo, can you still spread your wings?"

A quick white flash indicated that, yes, he could.

"Excellent. Coordinator... status report?" intoned Papillon.

 _ **I am... almost out of power**_ , they all heard in their heads. _**I'm getting weird readings from Chat's group, but I can't keep this connection up... trying not to pass out...**_

"Coordinator... let the power go, then. You have done what we needed you to do, admirably, and we all thank you. I will not risk harm to you."

 _ **Thank you, sir. Glad I could help.**_

They each heard a little *blip* in their heads, like a walkie-talkie turning off.

Rabbit Transit dashed off, and the remaining quartet hustled as quickly as they could to what shelter they could find.

* * *

In another white flash, Jade Turtle reverted back to Fu Wang, to neither Papillon's nor Ladybug's surprise. With Coordinator out of action, Papillon transformed back to Gabriel as well. Blue Ox laid Fu down on a bench, as gently as he could.

"Are you all right, Master Fu?" asked Ladybug, greatly disturbed by the pained look on Fu's face. "Do we need to get you to a hospital?"

"N-no, Ladybug, I can get by," he insisted. "Back is thrown out. Very... painful. This is why I... don't do that... any more. Need was too great."

"You have my considerable gratitude," Gabriel told him. "I did not know what else to try, but had she kept coming at me... Your gambit seems quite successful. So far, I do not believe Nathalie has caused anyone injury; the other heroes are clearing her path quite well."

"Yeah! They were a GREAT surprise," Ladybug agreed. "How did you do _that?_ "

Gabriel looked at her with a half-smirk. "He had not told you?" he asked, lightly.

"Well... I knew you had one and I had one. I knew _he_ had one. I didn't know there were another dozen-plus nearby!" she replied. "These were your doing, Master, right? Coordinator was the only butterfly?"

"Correct," gasped Fu. "Spent decades... hiding... all those secrets that I just set free. This has... not been... a good week for secrets."

"Quite an understatement," smiled Gabriel. "For all of us. Wouldn't you say, Ladybug, Mr. Dupain?"

"Just a bit," she smiled back.

"It is nice to see you again, Mr. Agreste. We seem to be meeting in the strangest circumstances," added Blue Ox.

"Ladybug... reach into my shirt pocket. There are snacks there for Wayzz and Nooroo. We will need their powers again," directed Fu, getting his breath back somewhat.

"Noted." As the Kwamis gratefully accepted the offered bites and chowed down, Fu raised himself up on his elbows, then sank down again from the resulting jolt of pain. "We are not... done here."

"I didn't think so. While these new heroes are helping to save people and prevent harm..." ventured Gabriel.

"...they're not solving the problem, are they?" finished Ladybug. "Master, _do_ we have any solutions left?"

"Only one."

* * *

Chat Noir doubled over, abruptly, clearly in considerable pain.

"Hey! Kitty-cat!" called Wukong, suspiciously. "Are you all right? Do we need to... WHOA!"

The three Zodiac heroes stepped back as the energy around Chat flared briefly, forming a ball around him, then coalesced back around his right arm and shoulder.

"I don't like this at all," muttered Baconator.

"I don't think we're supposed to," agreed Buzzbomb. "Be ready, guys, just in case. Chat Noir?"

"G-get back," a low voice replied. "P-please."

"I think I've heard enough," Wukong declared, readying his hoop. "MONKEY... MAGIC!"

"I really don't think that's a good idea yet, Wukong - wait!" called Buzzbomb, but Wukong's glowing hoop was already in the air, aimed at Chat Noir. It floated in close...

...and a swift baton strike sent it flying a considerable distance away. The energy swirl formed a ball again, this time remaining, and Chat's eyes seemed to flare bright green in time with its pulses.

"I said... GET BACK," Chat ordered, his voice reverberating.

Wukong and Baconator assumed a defensive stance, while Buzzbomb decided that back was precisely where she should be getting to at that moment.

* * *

Gabriel glared at the fallen Fu. "You lectured me, and rightly so, for even _thinking_ about combining the Ladybug and the Cat."

"If I... *cough* had another option, Gabriel, do you not think I w-would be _using_ it?" snapped Fu. "A broken wish set all of this into motion. I fear that only a true one can set things right." He struggled to maintain composure, adding, "I have spent my entire life guarding these secrets, p-preventing exactly this moment. But I will not let millions perish because I was afraid to make a n-needed sacrifice."

"About that... sacrifice, Master," asked Ladybug, hesitantly. "You and Chat have told me how the wish can backfire terribly, how a cost must be paid to balance whatever it grants. What can I do to try to avoid that?"

"You," replied Fu, with surprise in his eyes, "are not whom I'd ask to sacrifice anything, young lady! YOU are not... r-replaceable."

"And you are?" asked Gabriel, sternly. "You've _forgotten_ more about the Miraculous and their history than anyone else on Earth still knows, I'd wager. You would take a chance with that?"

"I am a _very_ old man, whom very few would m-miss," Fu insisted.

"HEY! Enough about that! We'll fight over _who_ does it later, but first we need to know _how_ and _why_. Too much is at stake," declared Ladybug. "Master, please. What do we need to know most?"

Reluctantly, Fu began his explanation. "The user must possess both the Ladybug and Cat Miraculous, and invoke both. That alone will be extraordinarily disorienting for the user," he stated. "They must then focus their thoughts, over and over, on how they wish to change the world around them. Think of it like a wish from the trickiest genie ever, who wants to warp your desires; the wording must be precise, the intention pure, the concept clear. Beyond that, it is truly wild magic; it will choose the cost to be paid on its own whims. It might be the caster, it might be someone they know and love, it might be someone seemingly random halfway across the world! It has not been done successfully in a thousand years. And even if it _is_ successful, the strain on the caster will be tremendous! Perhaps even fatal."

"So the first step, obviously, is that whoever does it will need my Miraculous," pondered Ladybug.

"...and Chat Noir's," finished Fu. "So we must get to where he is, and hope that it is not too late."

* * *

Blue Ox scooped Fu up once more, and the group traveled as quickly as they could. As they ran, Ladybug caught Wayzz's eye and gestured at him silently, _Come here._

The tiny green Kwami floated over, dutifully. "What is it, Ladybug?" Wayzz whispered.

"You know Master Fu better than anyone, Wayzz. IS he all right?" asked Ladybug, in a hushed voice.

"He is in serious pain, and he is exhausted. He will recover, once he lets himself rest," explained Wayzz. "But as long as this crisis is in motion, he won't. I know him better than that. It's a miracle that he's even still awake right now."

"Precisely what I thought, and good to know," she replied. "If he even thinks about invoking this wish..."

"He wouldn't get as far as the first invocation in this state, let alone the rest of it. He'd die," said Wayzz, matter-of-factly. "But I can't stop him from trying."

"Which is something that we _cannot_ let happen. No matter what."

* * *

A few minutes later, Ladybug announced, "Keep your eyes open. We should be getting close-"

* **W** **hooooosh**!*

"WE have a problem," declared Rabbit Transit, popping up out of nowhere. She had Buzzbomb's arm over her shoulder; the bee heroine was clearly not used to traveling at rocket-propelled speeds.

"Buzzbomb! Are you all right?" gasped Ladybug.

"I am..." she replied, hesitantly, "but you're going to want to look about a hundred meters that way." She pointed in the direction from which Rabbit had come, and Ladybug took off running.

"Oh, no..."

She saw Wukong face-down on the ground, twitching slightly. Baconator was a few meters away, trying to stand up and failing repeatedly.

"What _happened_ here?" asked Ladybug, trying not to scream.

"Monkey-boy there decided it was time to restrain Chat Noir. Chat disagreed in a big way," muttered the porcine paragon. "I tried to defend him, it didn't work too well."

"Where IS he?" she demanded. "Which way did Chat go?"

Ladybug followed Baconator's arm as he pointed down another street, and her heart sank down into her shoes as she glimpsed a ball of black energy some distance away, slowly plodding forwards.

* * *

Quickly, Ladybug formulated a game plan, and articulated a roundabout course to put themselves between Chat and where he was headed, which was presumably Nathalie's location.

Once everyone was in position, watching Chat plod towards them, Ladybug gave out final directions. "Blue Ox, we may need your strength, just in case! Sit Master Fu down over there. Rabbit, you keep an eye on him for me. If Chat goes after him for some reason, whisk him out of the way." She slipped a sly wink Rabbit's way, which got a grin from her in return.

 _Good. Rabbit's on board with what I whispered to her on the way here,_ thought Ladybug. _I sure hope that it works! It has to._

She narrowed her eyes to make sure that the same things flashed for her intuitive LuckyVision... and they did.

"Papillon, you're not a fighter... but we're not here to fight him, so stay close. If something leaps out at you where one of your butterflies can help, don't hesitate, though I don't know who would be around here right now for it to reach. Your presence and your face may be more important in reaching Chat," she added, to which Papillon nodded.

"You're sure that we shouldn't have asked Baconator and Buzzbomb to stay close?" asked Rabbit Transit.

"They were both pretty shaken up, and again, this _shouldn't_ be a fight," explained Ladybug. "And even if it is, they couldn't stop him before, so I don't want to risk their getting hurt."

 _Which is a funny way of saying that I don't know how_ __any_ __ of us will stop him, if he doesn't let us._

"Your plan is sound, Ladybug... but it is risky," croaked Master Fu. "I would feel better if you had Wayzz's protective barrier, but I'm in no condition for that."

"I was thinking about that, actually..." purred Ladybug. "Could I please borrow your Miraculous for a moment, Master Fu? There's something about it that I'm curious about."

He handed it over, a curious look on his face, but Ladybug's face betrayed no guile.

"Wayzz, I have a question or two for you," began Ladybug. "Would you agree that we might need your guidance here?"

"Uh-huh," answered Wayzz.

"And that Master Fu needs rest, desperately, and that he has done all that he possibly can to put us in a position to save everyone?"

"Uh-HUH," Wayzz echoed, wide-eyed, realizing what she was implying.

"Young lady," Fu tried to object, "I don't know what you think that you are-"

"And that Paris will need his knowledge and his wisdom for many years to come, and we shouldn't give him the chance to throw all of that away?"

"STOP!" Fu croaked, desperately. "Ladybug, this _cannot_ happen! Do not even think about sacrificing yourself, invoking this wish! You do not understand what that would _mean for you!"_

She leaned down over him, guiding him back down onto the bench in a sitting position. "Master Fu, believe me, I don't think that I _want_ to do it this way, risking myself like this. But I know _exactly_ what it would mean." Her eyes got watery as she continued. "It means saving my family, my friends, my city, my _country_ , possibly. All those people! It means saving the boy who won my heart... and the father who's risking his life to try to save him... and you."

"Ladybug, listen to reason-"

"I. DON'T. CARE!," she declared. "Too much is at stake for me to leave this to chance, no matter how risky it is. You don't want me to do this any more than I want you to do it," she concluded, touching his face gently. "But right here, right now, I can _save you._ Rabbit, _go!_ "

In his vehemence, Master Fu hadn't noticed Rabbit Transit gliding up behind him. She scooped him up before he could protest, and with a whooshing noise, the two of them were gone.

* * *

Gabriel stared at Ladybug, his jaw dropping. "Remind me to never face you over a poker table, Ladybug," he admired. "That was remarkably sly of you! I had no idea that was about to happen."

"She's a terror on Monopoly night, too," chuckled Blue Ox.

"He is going to be _soooo_ mad," smiled Ladybug, sheepishly. "But we'll worry about that tomorrow. One step at a time."

She turned her gaze to the approaching Chat Noir, and declared, "First, let's save this handsome fellow here, if we can."

"He's very lucky to have you," said Gabriel, quietly. "And so are all the rest of us. But this isn't over by a longshot."

The trio stared him down, unflinchingly, as his slow pace brought him ever closer. _I don't know how we're going to do this, Adrien,_ thought Ladybug. _But we have to. We need your Miraculous, and we need you. I need you. So much._

 _Even if I have to take you down to save you._

* * *

Next time:

* The conclusion to our wayward saga...


	21. And To All A Good Night

Let's Take It From The Top, Chapter 21: And To All A Good Night

* * *

Ladybug stared long and hard at her approaching boyfriend, caught up in a runaway Cataclysm wave that swirled and pulsed around him, and for one painful moment she was simply frozen as hope left her.

 _Part of me is screaming to just curl up in a ball on the ground and let everything happen,_ she thought. _It might be quick, it might be painless. I have more than earned a full-on nervous breakdown and no one is going to take that away from me._

But that passed quickly.

 _Who am I kidding?_ she thought, her jaw clenching in determination. _Everything about this situation is worth fighting for. It's why I'm here; it's why I got these powers to begin with. My country, my city, my friends, my family, all those innocent people, THAT BOY. As many of them as we can, until we win, or until we fall over._

 _Tears are for later... if we have one._

* * *

"Mari- Ladybug, I'm following your lead here," Blue Ox said, quietly. "You know far more about what's going on than I do. Do we have a game plan?"

He watched his daughter close her eyes briefly and concentrate, thinking as hard and as fast as she could. "...We do," Ladybug confirmed. "Or at least most of one. I'm making this up as I go, Papillon, so help me."

Standing by her side, Papillon nodded.

"Okay. Step one is to get the two main Miraculous together. That means getting the ring away from Chat. Either by talking him into it... or however we have to," began Ladybug. "And I don't know what that means, either... but, Papillon, if you have a great idea for a butterfly that's capable of that, I'm all ears."

"I am thinking, though I am drawing a blank at the moment. And there is one more consideration to that. You know how much worse off Nathalie has been than Adrien; if he relinquishes his Miraculous..." noted Papillon.

"...he no longer has Plagg helping to keep it under control. Good thinking. That means that if we _do_ get it away from him, we might have minutes to act at most. His energy cocoon may expand dramatically, and he may start making a beeline straight for where he feels Nathalie is." Ladybug shook her head, sadly. "That's going to be a really, _really_ dangerous situation."

"Do we have an alternative?" asked Papillon. "From how Fu described it, the wish is our only remedy."

"Yeah, it is. I'm just working out how we _can_ possibly do this," worried Ladybug. "I have an idea... and when the time comes, Papillon, your help will be essential to it. You too, Dad. But the first part of it is talking Chat down. Follow me... but not too close."

She stepped forward, willpower overcoming common sense, and approached the blonde-haired harbinger of doom.

* * *

Master Fu attempted to regain what were left of his senses, as his unexpected transportation agent screeched to a stop in front of his studio.

"Your destination, Sir. That'll be nine and a half Euros, please," quipped Rabbit Transit.

Fu looked around him and realized just how far he was from the showdown in progress, and slumped down to the ground. "Sure. Take anything you like," he muttered. "Soon, none of it may matter."

Rabbit stared at him, silently, as he looked up at her with sad eyes. "I understand why Ladybug did what she just did... but she may have just doomed us all," he told her.

"Okay, I've only been part of this for, like, an _hour,"_ Rabbit replied. "But from what she told me, something big is about to happen. And if you tried to do it yourself right now, the strain would kill you before you got halfway through. Right?"

He stared at her for a moment, then nodded. "Very likely so. But I _had to try_ for all our sakes!", he replied, angrily.

"Great! So instead of someone who might be able to actually cast a wish, we'd have an old dead guy and then someone else would get a turn. That's a lot more helpful, right?"

Master Fu looked Rabbit over, gauging her intent. "Your flippancy is not helpful," he chided her. "Though... your logic may be."

"Do you trust her - _them_ \- or don't you?" demanded Rabbit. "I mean, if I have to, I can haul you right back there..."

"NO!" he shouted quickly, then calmed himself. "I'll be queasy for a week from _that_ trip."

"Is there something I can tell them, then, that can help? I'll be your voice," she replied. "I can be back there in, like, three minutes."

"I am thinking," Fu said. "As much as I _can_ think while my stomach is up around my shoulders. Stay with me, please. I have... one remaining card to play, at the right moment, and I will need your help to do so."

* * *

As Ladybug got within clear sight of Chat, as much as she could make out of him within the energy ball, she saw his eyes widen and his face grow tense. _Good,_ she reasoned, _there's some of him left in there. He's fighting this._

"Chat..." she began. "It's me, Ladybug. Marinette. Are you hearing me?"

"Y-yeah," Chat replied, haltingly. She could see his legs grow stiff, as his brain tried to force them not to advance. "Don't g-get close to m-me. C-can't hurt _you_."

"Chat, I need to talk to you, right now. Can you stop and do that for me?" Ladybug asked.

A tiny stutter-step followed. "No. I m-mean, I'm trying, but it's not working. I'll hold it off as l-long as I c-can," he apologized. "I can feel N-Nathalie. She's too close."

"Never mind about her, okay? Focus on me. Only on me," soothed Ladybug. "I'm right here. Nothing's going to happen to either of us."

"If I turn the energ-gy inwards..." Chat began.

"NO. You're not going to do that," snapped Ladybug, keeping her voice steady only through monumental effort. "You're not going to sacrifice yourself! It might not even work, and we'd still have Nathalie to deal with. That could overwhelm her and melt everything around her on the spot! We're going to try another way."

"What's th-hat?" he asked.

"You're going to concentrate for me," she half-whispered. "You're going to stop walking. You're going to pull that energy back under control. You're going to put yourself back together, just for a couple of minutes. Will you do that?"

"I have no idea h-how," wailed Chat. "The pull is _so strong_ -"

"THAT doesn't matter. Because _you_ are so strong. I've learned that about you from all of this," Ladybug answered. " _You and I_ are so strong together. And I'm here _with you,_ Adrien. You're part of me now. I won't let you go. And I'm _not_ moving."

"You h-have to!" he cried out. "I can't stop myself." Two short steps followed, then a longer one.

"You _will_ ," Ladybug insisted, quietly. "Listen to my voice. Look at me. Do this with me."

She saw his eyes close in frustration, and another step followed. An energy whip began to form on the cocoon, preparing to arc out towards her.

" _Marinette-!_ " her father gasped, only for Papillon to step forward and prevent him from charging at her.

"She knows what she's doing," assured Papillon, hoping that he was right about that.

 _She had better,_ he thought. _So much is on the line here..._

"I _c-can't_ hurt you, Marinette. That would _destroy_ me," Chat said, in a voice of purest anguish.

"You won't. And I'll prove it."

To the surprise of both Chat and Papillon, Ladybug took two steps back, threw her hand upwards and called out, "LUCKY... CHARM!"

 _What is she DOING?_ wondered Papillon, with great alarm. _Without the power of Ladybug, all is lost!_

* * *

The scarlet energy coalesced above Ladybug's outstretched hand, forming an object that dropped down into her arms...

With a grin, she saw that it was precisely what she'd expected it to be in that moment. "Spots off," she smiled.

Chat looked on in horror; _without her powers, she's completely vulnerable!,_ he gasped.

In a white flash, Ladybug was replaced by Marinette Dupain-Cheng, with shining eyes, holding a red cookie rose in her outstretched hands.

* * *

"Th-hat..." gasped Chat, astounded.

"You know what this is, Adrien," soothed Marinette. "You know _exactly_ what this meant to us. Remember the moment that you gave it to me. What began right then and there. The look in my eyes when I realized just how deeply you felt about me."

"Look in my eyes now, Adrien. Do you see that look again?" she added. "Focus on that. Focus on us. I trust you completely, Adrien. You would _never_ hurt me."

His legs stuttered forwards again, ever so slightly - one quarter-step, then another, then another - as Chat's face softened, then became a look of complete determination and will.

"Do it," she whispered.

She watched, fighting the urge to step backwards, as Chat forced himself to stop and crumpled into a ball. He screamed, an incoherent shout of rage and pain and defiance...

* * *

Chat willed himself to open his eyes, praying that he wouldn't see a pile of dust where his love had been standing.

He heard a tiny whisper of a voice:

"...Thank you."

* * *

As he opened them, Chat felt something he did not expect in the slightest... two soft hands against his shoulders.

"You DID IT!" squealed Marinette, wrapping her arms around him as carefully as she could. "You did that for _me!_ I'm so proud of you..."

He winced in pain, then looked down at his right arm; it was pulsing up to the elbow with black energy as before, but the rest of the cocoon had retreated from around him.

"I _had to._ That was so ridiculously brave of you," Chat said, softly. "I love you, Marinette."

"And I love you, Adrien," she replied, and for one brief moment, nothing else existed.

A twinge in his arm brought Chat back to reality. "But that's as far as I can take the energy back," he said. "I can't reverse it all."

"That's all I needed right this minute, honey! We need to buy a little time, and that did it." Quickly, without taking her arms off of Chat, she started barking out orders. "Tikki! Find something to eat, _now!_ I don't have my purse on me! We will need your power very soon, and _everything_ depends on it."

The Kwami looked around, frantically. "I _know!_ " she called back. "But I don't know this neighborhood..." Tikki darted around, looking at building after building, then yelled in triumph. "THERE!" she exclaimed. "A bakery!"

Blue Ox sniffed with some disdain. "The Bouviers' bakery? Hmmph. Too many artificial ingredients. They can't come close to-"

"THIS IS NO TIME TO BE TERRITORIAL, DAD!" shouted Marinette, as Tikki darted inside. "Any snack in a storm! And I need _you_ right now. We need to put some distance between Adrien and Nathalie, and you can carry him far faster than he can walk right now. Adrien, can you transform back for me?"

"Sure. Claws in," said Chat, reverting to Adrien.

"I'll fill you in on what we've figured out on the way, okay?" Marinette told Adrien, as her father scooped him up. "Dad, be careful with him, and not just because I don't want him broken! Watch his arm, and if that cocoon starts flickering back to full strength, put him down, drop him if you have to! Don't get zapped yourself! Plagg... your turn. Are _you_ okay?"

Plagg looked at her as if she was crazy. "What do YOU think?" he snarled. "I'm holding on by a thread."

"That'll have to do," she replied. "Papillon, Dad, let's move... that way!"

"Where are we going?" Blue Ox asked, breaking into a steady trot.

"I don't know! But away from HER! She's getting close, from what Adrien said. Let's buy some time and figure out our last stand."

* * *

Not far away, a couple of the newly deputized heroes were still hard at work, trying to clear innocents from Nathalie's path.

"She just doesn't _stop,_ does she?" moaned Scurry, as she darted from house to house. "Where _is_ everybody else?"

"Don't know," muttered Slither, straining under the weight of a heavy man. "Voice... in our heads... shut off."

Up on a nearby rooftop, Vixen yelled, "Let me try something... MIRAGE!"

She blew on her flute and gestured, and on a street perpendicular to Nathalie's current path, an image appeared. The heroes saw what looked to be a second energy cocoon, with a dark, cat-like figure inside it.

Nathalie looked... hesitated for a moment... then resumed her original course.

"Damn!" Vixen snapped, disappointed. "Why isn't she _believing_ it?"

"Maybe it's something more... primal to her. Like, it looks right but it isn't pulling at her like the real thing is," surmised Scurry. "It was a good try!"

"I'm sorry. I don't know what else I can do..." said Vixen. "That was my big power."

"Help us move people until your jewelry starts beeping, then get out of the way and take cover. Stay safe," consoled Scurry. "Slither, what are _we_ going to do?"

"Keep trying to save people. Until she gets to where she's going... or until we drop," grunted Slither. "And hope that we get some more help."

* * *

"I hate to say it... but I think we've hit the end of the line for running."

Ladybug heard Blue Ox and agreed, grimly, as the group reached the edges of the Seine river. "There are bridges, but if we move side-to-side, she'll gain ground on us and that'll make it that much harder for Adrien to resist." She racked her brain, quickly. "What should we _do?_ " she worried.

"...Blue?" said Adrien, quietly. "Put me down, please." He walked over to Ladybug, stopping a few feet away. "I think I know what we _have to_ do. What _I_ have to do."

"...And that is?" asked Ladybug, with a worried expression.

"You need this Miraculous to save everyone. I don't, any more," replied Adrien, simply. "You need the two of them for the wish, and I'm way too loopy right now to try it. Not to mention what I did when I tried it the _first_ time."

"WAIT!" called Papillon, desperately. "Adrien, think before you do that! As soon as you do, you'll go that much more out of control, like Nathalie is. We may only have minutes, maybe less once that happens! We need a plan first, and fast."

"Right now, you _are_ my plan, Papillon," sighed Ladybug. "You're charged up, right? If Adrien gives me his Miraculous, I need you to think up something protective to try and hold Adrien back. Send out a butterfly to whoever is available and hope for the best, and I'll... do _my_ best."

"You know very well what that wish might do to you," frowned Papillon.

"Who _else,_ then? Adrien can't do it. Fu can't. I wouldn't ask you or anyone else to make that sacrifice," Ladybug replied. "These powers come with responsibilities! I knew that when I accepted this Miraculous. And if I'm strong enough, if I focus hard enough, it might not be so bad."

She turned to Adrien. "But we _have to do this now,_ before Nathalie gets any closer. Do you understand?"

With tears in his eyes, Adrien nodded.

"Papillon, are you ready?" she called, not taking her eyes off of his.

"I am," he said, in a resigned voice.

"All right, then," said Ladybug. "Let's take a chance. Whatever luck the Ladybug has left, don't fail us now..."

* * *

She took a few steps back and watched as Adrien slipped the Black Cat ring off of his finger. "Goodbye, Plagg," he said, sadly. "You were a great friend."

The tiny cat tried to respond, then vanished as the ring was renounced... just as a huge plume of black energy puffed into existence around Adrien.

"Get BACK!" called Papillon, as he and Blue Ox looked on in horror.

"Adrien... th-throw it to me, please!" sobbed Ladybug, seeing his expression dim and his eyes glaze over... and she realized that he might not have the strength of will left to do that.

 _We'll have to knock it out of his hands... somehow..._ she calculated, _though I have no idea what can penetrate that energy! Maybe if-_

With a mighty grunt, Adrien focused one last time. His arm moved forward, and the ring skittered to a stop a few feet away from Ladybug. It, too, glowed with an ominous black energy.

"That doesn't look safe for you to touch, Marinette," called Blue Ox. "Be careful!"

"I agree. Let's try this first..." Ladybug shot her yo-yo out and snagged it, as if capturing an Akuma, and immediately felt a burning sensation run up the string and into her. Gritting her teeth, she focused on purifying it... and, slowly, the burning ceased.

She yanked the yo-yo back to her hand and opened it, and saw the Black Cat ring, seemingly unscathed by its ordeal.

"Okay! Papillon, you know what to do!" Ladybug called, watching Adrien like a hawk. She grimaced as she saw him begin to stagger in what was presumably Nathalie's direction, surrounded by his swirling cocoon. "Send out the butterfly, now!"

"I already have," she heard him say.

Abruptly, Ladybug felt a very strange sensation, and an energy signature snapped into place before her eyes...

* * *

 _NO!_

"Papillon, are you _INSANE?_ " Ladybug shrieked. "I can't be Ladybug _and_ invoke the ring _and_ be one of your hosts at the same time!"

"I'm counting on that," said Papillon, simply. "Because I can't let you make that sacrifice, Marinette."

She stared at him, the words not coming to her mouth, in complete disbelief.

"This city is going to need _you_ for decades. This _world_ will. It won't miss me. And this entire crisis is my fault; I brought the Cat and Moth here in the first place. If anyone's going to assume that risk, I want it to be me." He pointed at Adrien, adding, " _He_ will need you. And right now he needs you more than ever."

Ladybug gaped at Papillon, stunned, seeing the resolute expression on his face. Her father was slack-jawed, paralyzed by surprise and emotion. She turned her head and saw Adrien, slowly staggering away... and at the end of the long street they were on, some distance away, she saw a second energy cocoon turn a corner and come into view.

And, seeing her, Adrien started moving faster.

"...Spots off."

* * *

"What in the WORLD?"

Rabbit Transit looked on, worriedly, as she saw Master Fu react to something unseen and appear terrified. "Sir, what is it?"

"They didn't... _she_ didn't...!" he gasped, then flew into motion.

"What _happened?_ " begged Rabbit.

"I _don't know_ for sure!" called Master Fu, as he dashed into the back room and began digging for something. "I don't know if Ladybug was... double-crossed... or if she's trying something desperate. But BOTH the Cat and the Ladybug have been relinquished! Even without Wayzz here, _I_ can feel _that_."

"Okay..." Rabbit replied, as she saw Master Fu emerge with a black box in his hand. "So what do we do now?"

"That last card for me to play? This is it," Fu said, handing it to her. "Take it to where and whom I tell you to. Have her use it, get close to the scene, and watch carefully. Our heroes may need this one last ace-in-the-hole."

Rabbit listened to the name and address Fu rattled off, and nodded. "I know where that is. I know _her_. What else can I do?"

Master Fu looked at her, with sad eyes. "Pray?" he said. "And _run!_ "

In a *whoooooosh!*, she was gone.

* * *

"This is _absolute insanity,"_ muttered Marinette. "But I'm going to have to trust you. We all have no choice now."

Papillon's voice echoed in her head, both through the energy signature and from his mouth, a few meters away. "This was not a snap decision on my part. You have the Turtle in your hand, and its shell may help protect you. Now, focus with me. Focus on protecting Adrien above all else."

Marinette closed her eyes, and concentrated...

"Chrysalis... FORM!" she heard, and felt the transformation surround her. When she burst free, she found herself in a familiar costume.

"I'm _Firefly_ again?" she gasped, with some surprise.

"It seemed appropriate. Tell me... what's the one direction where Nathalie can't follow?" asked Papillon.

"... _Up!_ Good thinking!" Firefly smiled. "And when I add in this..." she added, slipping on the green bracelet. "Wayzz, shell on!"

In a white flash, her costume took on a more greenish aspect, and her domino mask became goggles... but her wings remained.

"I made a little tweak to your hidden power, as well. Or, rather, I can sense that _you_ did, by what you thought of as you transformed. Instead of Lightning Crash... you'll know it when the time is right," assured Papillon. "Now, go! _Please_ get Adrien away from her. I suspect that I will need some time to do this right."

Firefly took a deep breath... then flew over to her father and hugged him, tightly. "I'll be as careful as I can," she whispered.

"I know you will," he said, with a catch in his voice. "I'll do whatever I can down here. Come back to me, Marinette."

Impulsively, she flew over and hugged Papillon, as well. "I don't know what to say," she said, in a small voice, dropping the pair of Miraculous into his hand. "It's 'spots on' and 'claws out,' by the way."

"As I suspected," Papillon replied. "Good luck."

* * *

Watching Firefly fly away in Adrien's direction, Papillon turned his attention to the tiny totems of power in his hand.

 _Well, we meet at last. And is it not a remarkable thing?_ Papillon thought, wistfully. _I chased the two of you across the globe. It cost me my wife, it may have cost me my son, it may cost millions of lives if I am weak now. All for you. All for this moment. Because of a young woman's trust... and her astounding gifts... here we are, finally together._

 _Was it all worth it, Gabriel?_ he mused.

He snapped himself back to reality and slipped on the ring. _My ears are not pierced,_ thought Papillon, _but I doubt that will matter._ He pinned them onto his clothing, just underneath Nooroo's brooch. _Nooroo, my little friend, I hope you are up for this! I am about to harness the forces of creation and destruction, and you are coming along for the ride._

 _Will _I_ be up for this?_ he pondered, suddenly. _I did not contemplate what hosting THREE Miraculous at once might do to me... but I cannot back down now._

"Is there anything I can do?" asked Blue Ox, a short distance away.

"Should Nathalie approach... I do not know what you _could_ do. But if you can find a way to keep her off of me if she does, I would appreciate it," Papillon replied.

"Got it. And, just so you know... if you happen to be pulling a fast one on my daughter right now... the last thing that I do on this earth will be to remove your head," continued Blue Ox.

Despite himself, Papillon laughed. "I assure you, Tom, that if I was, I would have all of five minutes to enjoy it."

Blue Ox chuckled as well, at the absurdity of the situation.

"You have a remarkable daughter, by the way. And I have not yet thanked you _properly_ for taking such excellent care of my son," added Papillon.

"The pleasure was mine," replied Blue Ox. "He's a fine young man, and they are adorable together. Dinner's at my place once this is all over." He paused, and added, "...You _can_ save them?"

"...I must try."

"Then I promise you this," Blue Ox answered, cracking his knuckles and assuming a defensive stance, "...no one will touch you."

* * *

Firefly flew out in front of Adrien, hoping beyond hope that he would recognize her and regain some control... but not expecting it.

"Adrien? If you can hear me, give me a sign." She looked behind her and saw Nathalie approaching slowly, but not quite as slowly as before.

Inside the cocoon, Adrien's face was blank and emotionless.

 _Here goes nothing,_ she thought.

"SHELLTER!" she called out...

A bright green, coruscating force field surrounded her, and for a moment she stopped to marvel at it. Tentatively, she took a step forward; as she'd hoped, it moved with her. She took another step forward, and allowed it to contact the outside of Adrien's energy cocoon; there were sparks and crackling where the two met, but for at least that instant, the field held steady.

Looking in at Adrien, Firefly called, "Honey... you're about to go for a ride! For the next five minutes, at least."

Taking a deep breath, she propelled herself forward and tackled Adrien. She felt jolts all around her as she made contact, as if she was being hit by static electricity everywhere at once, but the costume helped insulate her slightly from that. Smoothly, she lifted him off his feet and began a diagonal ascension up over the Seine, just as hard and as fast as she could fly.

* * *

Papillon watched as Firefly and Adrien ascended... then looked down and saw Nathalie, still approaching, still heading straight for their position. _I was hoping she wouldn't do that,_ he thought, _but I shouldn't be surprised. Perhaps she can sense the Cat ring as well as the fractured power... and the ring is closer._

"It's time," he said, quietly. "CLAWS OUT!"

In a flash of white, Papillon found himself transformed yet again... his familiar costume as Papillon updated with accents of black, a black tail, black ears, and other cat-like accessories. _Interesting,_ he thought. _It's as if it recognizes that I'm more familiar with being Papillon, and made that the dominant element._

 _But there's no time to waste..._

"SPOTS ON!" he cried, loudly.

Blue Ox covered his eyes and stepped away in fear, because the white flash that followed was blinding... and most of it didn't fade away.

* * *

Across town, a person watched the news by herself, anxiously. _I know that the news crews can't get very close to any of this,_ she thought, _but I'd feel so much better if I had more of an idea of what is actually going ON out there! What if-_

Her thought was interrupted by a loud rush of wind - _What the HECK? The windows are all closed!_ she thought _-_ and the appearance of a young costumed woman next to her.

"Hi there," panted the girl, dressed as an oversized rabbit. "I'm sorry to distract you like this, but this is _unbelievably urgent_. This is for you."

She held out her hand, and in it a black box, roughly hexagonal. "If you don't know what this is, it's one of..." Rabbit Transit began.

"Oh, I _know."_

* * *

Firefly clenched her teeth as she flew Adrien up and over the Seine, praying that her impromptu shield would hold up. _So far, so good... but this HURTS_ , she grimaced, _and it's not getting better; it's getting worse._

 _But I HAVE TO HANG ON..._

She looked down and saw that she was already at a fairly impressive altitude, and leveled out slightly. _Think this out, Marinette,_ she thought. _If Papillon casts the wish and it works... whatever it does... if it cures Adrien, I can fly him back down to earth with what's left of my strength._

 _If it doesn't work... well... I guess it won't matter then, will it? But I'll have to find somewhere to put him. Definitely on the other side of the river; that should at least delay them a little bit from meeting._

 _I don't want to just drop him on top of a skyscraper or something like that... he might walk right off the edge in his state! And I don't know what that would do to him without his costume._

 _Auugh! That_ _really stings! NOW what..._

She realized, with considerable alarm, that the jolts around her were increasing steadily in intensity. _AAAAAGH!_ she screamed, in her mind. _This shield is BREAKING UP!_

* * *

Papillon - _well, I suppose that I'm not exactly Papillon any more, am I?_ he thought, with what capacity for rational thought he still possessed.

The glowing being lit up the intersection like a newborn star. The luminance lessened slightly after a few moments, but remained bright enough to be painful for Blue Ox to look at.

His mind reeled with his newfound awareness of the world around him. _I can see... everything!_ he gasped. _Molecules and energy waves and air currents and ley lines and beams of light all around me. This is... this is the godlike power of legend._

 _I could bring Emilie back with a thought,_ he smirked. _I could play God for a day. I could build... smash... create... destroy..._

 _Stop._

 _Stop right there, Gabriel. You know precisely why you have this power and what you must use it for,_ he ordered himself. _Remember what you were told; it's like making a wish with the trickiest genie ever. You must be clear, precise and forceful, and leave no room for misinterpretation._

He closed his eyes, in an attempt to minimize distraction, and focused his consciousness inward.

 _Let us begin._

* * *

 _No no no no no no no no NO!_ panicked Firefly. _It has been NOWHERE NEAR five minutes!_

She wavered in her flight as she worked it out in her head. _It's not that the shield lasts five minutes... it's that I have five minutes before I change back once I've used it,_ she deduced. _Just like Lucky Charm. And it's not going to last another minute, if that!_

 _And then-_

 _Okay, Marinette, think this through. Do I have another option? Maybe. Papillon said my hidden power was different now..._

Firefly concentrated for a moment, letting herself attune more closely to the butterfly empowering her... and she let herself smile, just a little.

 _That just might be what I need._

Taking a deep breath, feeling the last vestiges of Shellter breaking away, she called out...

"FIREFLY'S GLOW!"

* * *

 _I am Gabriel Agreste,_ he projected outwards, thinking a chant-like mantra at the power surrounding him. _I am Papillon. And I am Ladybug. And I am Chat Noir. I am Creation and I am Destruction. I wield this power now of my own free will._

 _I wish to end the crisis that I feel all around me._

 _I wish to return the power of Cataclysm to its rightful home, the Black Cat Miraculous and its Kwami, Plagg._

 _I wish to return Nathalie Sancoeur and Adrien Agreste to their normal states of health, to free them of the burdens that they currently bear._

 _I wish for no man or woman or animal to suffer as a result of returning this energy and restoring this balance._

 _I wish for my son and for my friend._

 _I wish to put the Black Cat Miraculous right,_ _and send its corruption away._

 _I wish..._

* * *

Firefly opened her eyes... and saw herself surrounded by a golden glow, a thick aura extending for perhaps a foot around her in all directions. She could see through it, and breathe, and felt no pain.

She looked at Adrien, and saw that the aura was extending itself to him as well. _Probably because I'm touching him,_ she reasoned. And to her astonishment...

...he opened his eyes.

"Wh... wha... what did... FIREFLY?" he gasped, as he returned to relative consciousness.

"Shhh," she whispered. "I don't know how long this will last."

The two looked around them, and saw that the energy cocoon was still intact; they were merely tucked away in a golden cocoon of their own at its center, like the liquid filling in a piece of hard candy.

"What did you _do,_ Marinette?" Adrien asked, with considerable wonder on his face.

"It's a long story. Your father is trying to put things right, using Master Fu's guidance. I'm getting you away from Nathalie the best way that I can. It HAS to work," she replied.

"Yeah. But... what if it doesn't?" he asked.

"...Then we're up here, away from anyone we could hurt. I'll figure out a place to put us down if I feel this aura breaking up. I only have a few minutes, anyway; it's a butterfly power."

They looked down, together, and Adrien whistled. "Yeah, we _are_ pretty high up, aren't we?" he laughed.

"Best view in town," Firefly smiled, looking at Adrien's face. "And I don't mean the scenery."

They kissed, briefly, while they still could.

* * *

Blue Ox stared down the woman who was slowly walking his way, carrying death all around her.

Behind him, he heard Papillon continuing to chant, his tone slowly growing in intensity. _He's not done yet,_ thought Tom... _and she's nearly on us._

 _Time to see what this magical doodad can REALLY do..._

He got up in a running stance, facing Nathalie, and called out...

"BULL'S CHARGE!"

As he began to run, he felt energy building all around him and saw a glowing aura surrounding him. He wasn't the fastest person to begin with, but as he rumbled towards her, he felt himself and everything around him pick up speed. He felt like a comet, rushing along the ground, building up momentum and energy and force like a hurled fist of the gods.

Whether or not this aura would protect him never even crossed his mind...

* * *

Papillon felt a massive weight pressing down against him, and he wasn't sure whether it was literal or mystical in origin. The strain of the incantation was excruciating. He heard a massive crashing sound nearby, but it barely registered in his consciousness; everything centered on the wish now.

 _I wish for no man or woman or animal to suffer as a result of returning this energy and restoring this balance._

 _I wish for my son and for my friend._

 _I wish to put the Black Cat Miraculous right,_ _and send its corruption away._

 _I wish..._

 _I WISH..._

* * *

Tom Dupain opened his eyes, amazed that he still had that capability. Seeing the sky above him, he rolled over onto his stomach and surveyed what he'd just done.

There was no question that Paris's finest would have their hands full repairing the road, if in fact there would be a road left to repair once this whole thing was decided. The site of impact was a crater, from which both he and Nathalie had been blasted tens of meters.

 _Did I get her?_ he wondered. _I didn't want to hurt her, but I really had no choice..._

He looked up over the rubble and saw the energy cocoon some distance away. To his dismay, he watched Nathalie stand up, very slowly... and resume walking on her original course.

 _Damn. And, from what I understand, I can only do that once without recharging,_ he thought. As if on cue, his transformation expired, and he found his Blue Ox costume replaced by his normal bakery wear. A tiny grayish-blue ox Kwami popped into existence next to him, whistling in appreciation.

"Not bad... not bad at all for your first time," Stompp told him. "I don't suppose that, um, you have a bag of hay or something on hand so that I can recharge, do you?"

"Fresh out," muttered Tom.

"Ah. Then, in that case... maybe we ought to move over there somewhere, out of the way, because that looks like..." the Kwami stammered.

Tom stood up, brushed himself off, and resumed his stance in the middle of the road.

"You _do_ know that you don't have my power any more, right?" asked Stompp.

"She will not touch him," replied Tom, simply. "My daughter's life and many more depend on that."

"Okay! Well, um... it was nice working with you," said Stompp, nervously.

* * *

Firefly felt the aura around her begin to crackle, and knew what would soon follow.

"You need to put me down _right now,_ Marinette," worried Adrien. "That shield is starting to..."

"I know it is. I'll try for that building over there... but I don't know if I'll make it," she gasped, pushing them in that direction.

"THROW me, if you have to. DROP me," he ordered her, his eyes welling up. "It's not worth-"

"I'm _not_ leaving you."

* * *

Papillon felt as if standing on a precipice, on the verge of losing himself forever in the wild surge of power surrounding him. One slip, and he'd be gone without a trace.

 _It's now or never,_ he thought.

 _I wish to return the full power of Cataclysm to its rightful home, the Black Cat Miraculous and its Kwami, Plagg._

 _I wish for no man or woman or animal to suffer as a result of returning this energy and restoring this balance._

 _I wish for my son and for my friend._

 _I wish to put the Black Cat Miraculous right, and send its corruption away._

 ** _Let this pandemonium CEASE!_**

* * *

A burst of pure white light exploded out from Papillon, as if the newborn star he'd become had just gone nova.

Around the globe, national security teams scrambled for updated imaging and situation reports. Stand-down orders were issued swiftly, once it became clear that, no, a nuclear device had _not_ just exploded in the heart of downtown Paris. In the weeks to come, France would be flooded by intelligence agencies from all over the world, all scrambling to determine an answer to an extremely important question:

"What the _HELL WAS THAT_?"

But that was all in the future.

* * *

Nathalie Sancoeur opened her eyes.

"G-Gabriel?" she muttered, still not sure where she was. "D-did we just have an earthquake, or something? Where are..."

She pushed down against the ground for support, raising herself up to one knee... then stared at her hands in disbelief.

 _MY... hands!_

 _With no energy around them!_

 _I... feel like MYSELF again! Not all charged up, not hungry, but ME!_

"...It's a MIRACLE!" she gasped, starting to look all around her. The crater in front of her drew her attention quickly. _Um... did I do that?_ she wondered.

"Are you all right, Ms. Sancoeur?" called a voice, and she turned to see the baker who was Adrien's new girlfriend's father standing there.

"I... think so?" she replied, and watched as he sank to his knees in relief. "You're Mr. Dupain, aren't you?" she asked.

"I am. Whatever Gabriel was doing must've worked," replied Tom.

"Whatever Gabriel was..." Nathalie looked behind Tom, and broke into as much of a dead run as she could manage... which, in her state, wasn't much. Tom ran to her and helped support her, and the two hurried to the middle of the intersection, in which a tall, thin man laid motionless.

* * *

Tikki shook her tiny head, regaining her senses. _WHOA!_ she thought. _Let's not do THAT again for another few millennia!_

She looked over and saw Plagg, in a similarly dazed state. Quickly, she flew over and grabbed him by his shoulders. "PLAGG!" she shouted. "Did it work? Are you whole again?"

He smiled at her, slowly... which quickly turned into a toothy grin. "I'm BACK, Sugarcube," he smirked.

The two hugged, with Tikki nearly screaming for joy in his arms. "I can't believe that WORKED!", she cried out.

"I'm not sure exactly _what_ happened in that wish; it'll take Master Fu to help figure that out," Plagg replied. "But I feel complete again! Whatever was stuck in Nathalie and Adrien is back in me. We're saved."

They looked over and saw Nathalie and Tom attending to Gabriel Agreste, and the two flew over to check on him as well. _No point in being secretive now!_ thought Tikki.

To their relief, they saw that while Gabriel was still unconscious, he was breathing steadily, and there were no obvious injuries on him. "Call an ambulance! Let's get him some help," Tikki told Nathalie, and once she got used to the idea of a four-inch crimson pixie popping up and ordering her around, she did exactly that.

Flying in a wobbly path, Nooroo floated over to where Tikki and Plagg were hovering. "Did anyone g-get the number of that truck?" he chattered. "What a rush!"

"That's right, you'd never been part of a wish before," mused Plagg. "Welcome to the big leagues, kid! How do you feel?"

"Like I need a nap for about another hundred years," replied Nooroo. "How do you two _do_ that?"

"We try not to," said Tikki. She looked down at Gabriel again, and an alarming thought crossed her mind. "WAIT!" she exclaimed. "Nooroo... you're out with us, and Gabriel is Gabriel. So that means..."

She and Plagg looked at each other. "...What happened to FIREFLY?" they gasped as one.

* * *

"Faster, Marinette..." begged Adrien, growing more nervous by the second. "If that aura breaks, you're going to DIE!"

"You don't know that," muttered Firefly, straining as hard as she could to reach the nearest building roof, a nearby skyscraper.

"I _DO!"_ he insisted, doing everything short of flapping his arms for added lift.

She felt the jolts of pain returning and knew that cracks were starting to form again. _I'm not going to make it. I'm going to dissolve in his arms,_ thought Firefly.

Firefly looked up at the terrified Adrien and began, "I love you, Adr... WHOA!"

A white wave of blinding light came rushing at them, soaring over the whole of Paris... leaving the two of them wondering what had just happened.

Once their sight returned, Firefly's eyes began to focus... and at first she thought the blinding white light was still present. She realized, quickly, that the reason for the added light was that the darkness all around them was gone!

"ADRIEN!" she gasped. "Do you think that was - are you -"

He threw his arms around her tightly, and she could hear him crying. For a moment, she feared the worst.

"It- it- it's - it WORKED!" he burbled, overwhelmed. "The energy is gone!"

Firefly's _" **YES!** " _nearly deafened him. Still wrapped up in a tight hug, she shot straight upwards in a spiral, twirling them over the city of Paris. "I can't believe it!" she beamed.

She relaxed, slightly, and the remnants of the golden aura faded out. _Gotta save SOME energy,_ she grinned to herself. _We're pretty high up!_

"I was s-so scared, Marinette... that I was about to lose you..." stammered Adrien.

"You can't get rid of me _that_ easily, Mister," Firefly laughed. "Now... let's get you back to your father and see how he is..."

"My father?" wondered Adrien.

"He's the one that cast the wish," explained Firefly, throwing something of a damper on the mood. "I was going to, but he kind of... made sure I couldn't. And then we-"

Abruptly, in a crackle of energy... Firefly reverted to Marinette in mid-air!

* * *

" _WHAT THE HECK_?" yelled Marinette. "Papillon, what did you just _DO?"_

Their upward momentum was still carrying them away from the ground, but that was only going to last for another couple of seconds...

"Do you have another Miraculous?" asked Adrien, panicking.

"Only the Turtle! And turtles don't fly! And it's used up anyway!" she shouted. "I had plenty of energy left! Papillon must've just... we're in _big trouble!"_

As the pair began to fall, Adrien held her even closer. "Close your eyes, Marinette. Hold on tight. I love you so much."

"I love you, Adrien," she answered, closed her eyes tight and held on tighter.

The wind began roaring around them, louder and louder.

 _At least it'll be quick-_

* * *

 _...WHAT just happened?_

Marinette felt something grab her... and instead of falling straight down, she felt like she was _flying!_

 _My powers are gone - my wings are gone - how am I doing this?_

She opened her eyes...

She was still holding on tight to Adrien, who looked just as confused. They turned their heads, simultaneously, and saw a humanoid figure holding onto them. The woman wore a red dragon costume, with elaborate wings on her back, and a gigantic smile on her face.

"By all means, you two... keep being cute," the woman grinned, in a quite familiar voice.

"MOM!" cried Marinette. "How... what... THANK YOU! Where did YOU get a Miraculous from?"

"Your... rabbit friend? She showed up at the last minute with it and gave me a crash course on how to use it. Apparently Mr. Wang had held onto one last one, just in case," Sabine replied. "His instructions were to get to the site and look for anyone who needed my help. I got here just in the nick of time!"

"I'll say," sighed Adrien. "A few more seconds..."

" _Wow,_ " Marinette gasped. "Now I've been saved by BOTH my parents today."

"You've seen your father? Is he all right?" asked Sabine, with visible concern.

"Last I saw him, he was with Gabriel, over where we ran to. Over there," Marinette pointed. "Let's make sure that they're all right..."

* * *

"Thank you both for coming," beamed Master Fu, beckoning Marinette and Adrien to seats at his kitchen table. "Just about to pour the tea..."

"Glad to be here," replied Adrien, pushing Marinette's chair in for her. "Glad to be _anywhere_ after that whole ordeal. How are _you_ feeling?"

"Some days better than others," he smiled. "I believe I've performed my last transformation, though. This old lower back just can't handle that any more. Not since I turned a hundred and sixty."

Adrien gave that an appreciative laugh... then looked puzzled, as Marinette gave him an _I-don't-think-he's-kidding_ look back.

"So, first," said the old man, "a toast. To the bravery of all my new friends... and certain ones in particular."

Their teacups clinked together, with large smiles all around.

"I could not be more pleased with the two of you," he continued, "and I strongly encourage you to continue as Ladybug and Chat Noir. You will grow into quite the partnership over time... in many ways, I suspect."

"We're, um, really hoping so," blushed Marinette, squeezing Adrien's hand. "We're a little young yet, but I think we're well on our way."

"Paris will need its protectors in the months ahead, I fear. It will not be all fun and games. When I emptied the Miraculous box to aid you last week, I had little opportunity to test and choose who received them. Some, like your friend Alix, more than earned the right to hang onto theirs. If not for her speed, we wouldn't all be sitting here now," continued Master Fu. "Most of the others returned theirs when asked. Some, we may approach again in time; others said that once in a lifetime was enough for them. But, for now, we have five Miraculous that remain missing."

"Which ones?" asked Adrien. "And who had them in the first place?"

"In order..." Fu began.

"The Horse went to a businessman from the north side of Paris, someone I suspect you had never met. He claims to have sold it to someone else, and to whom he would not say. Suffice it to say that someone calling himself the Warhorse has been spotted committing robberies in that end of town, and it may be that man or it may not."

"The Dog went to a young man attending university. He's called himself the Pitbull, and when I asked for it back, he declared 'Come and take it.' I suspect he may not be an outright criminal like Warhorse, but he may prove to be a thorn in our side in other ways."

"The Tiger was left at a home on the east side, intended for the youngest daughter. There are six people living there; three girls, a boy and their parents. I do not know which of them used it as Tigresse, or if they are trading it between themselves. I do know that Tigresse has been causing mischievous havoc all over town, and that her claws can cut through _anything_. Best approached with caution, if at all."

"The Monkey... well, he tried to help, in his own peculiar way, but he is unstable at best. He was an odd man, someone I knew through my connections in Chinatown, and he has simply disappeared."

"And the Peacock. That one is most concerning to me, as it is obscenely powerful if used properly. A woman in Montmartre received it; when I visited her again, she claimed no knowledge of it ever turning up. Whether she has it, or someone else found it and took it during the chaos, I do not know. It never surfaced during the recent chaos, and we must watch for signs of it in the future."

"So... knowing that, how do we handle them?" asked Marinette.

"If we can recover them, so much the better. That does not mean 'show up at their houses and beat it out of them,' obviously. But we must watch for sightings of them in public, consider when and where and how to confront them, and follow our best instincts," Fu replied.

"Ah." Adrien sipped his tea.

* * *

"Which leaves only your two, which have been _more_ than earned. My Turtle, and I can attest that Wayzz will keep me from trying that again any time soon..." smiled Fu.

"You can say that again!" shouted a tiny voice from the next room.

"...and Gabriel's Moth," Fu continued. "Your father continues to recover well?"

"So far, yes," replied Adrien. "The first couple of days were touch-and-go, but between the hospital's care and the herbal treatments you've been giving him on the side, he's been getting stronger by the day. I knew he was getting back to his old self when he got cranky about 'Why is my hair white now?'"

"He's lucky that it stayed in at all. Or didn't catch on fire," sighed Fu. "Had I known that he was going to attempt the wish with _three_ Miraculous active... Running three at once alone probably took five years off his lifespan."

"Dad's a tough old buzzard at heart. He might surprise you," counseled Adrien. "I've gotten him out of the house a few times so far; we did dinner at the Dupain-Chengs' last night."

"Which was really nice to see; everyone got along great!" grinned Marinette. "We were happy to have the company."

"Nathalie is also doing well?" asked Fu. "No prolonged after-effects?"

"She looked fine to me last night," said Marinette. "Adrien?"

"As far as I know, she's much better. Once the Cataclysm energy left her, she felt exhausted for the next couple of days... but so was I, so that's not surprising. She and Dad are... I don't want to say 'bonding' more and more, but they're closer than ever," confirmed Adrien. "Helping each other through this."

"Good. Then we're at least close to putting a lid on this whole affair. However... there is one more loose end. Plagg, could you come in here, please?" Master Fu called out to the next room.

"Coming!" Plagg floated over, followed by Tikki and Wayzz, settling in next to their respective hosts.

* * *

"What can I do for you, Master?" asked Plagg.

"I am... troubled by one last aspect of last week's crisis... the wish itself. You confirmed to me that the Cataclysm energy is back with you in full, so that much is right with the world," mused Master Fu. "But the power of the wish is rarely so benevolent, and demands balance. Either Gabriel was the most clever man that ever existed in how he phrased his wish..."

"...or the negative side of it manifested somewhere else, in some way that we don't know about," finished Tikki. "I had that worry, too."

"He did pretty well, I think," Plagg replied. "He didn't leave a lot of wiggle room in what he said."

Plagg and Tikki ran through the phrasing that Gabriel had used, to most of which Master Fu nodded and smiled. "He was clever," replied Fu. "And he listened to what I told him, and that's really all I could ask of him. But he did slip up in two places, and we will need to watch _very_ carefully for signs of either manifesting."

"'I wish to put the Black Cat Miraculous right, and send its corruption away,' he said," continued Fu. "Send it away... where, exactly?"

"Oooh. _That's_ not good," muttered Plagg.

"How could that manifest itself?" asked Marinette.

"A good question for which I do not yet have an answer," replied Fu. "The other part that bothers me is this... 'I wish for no man or woman or animal to suffer as a result of returning this energy and restoring this balance.'"

"That sounds pretty clear, doesn't it? Basically saying 'please don't mess up any other living creature while fixing these two,'" pondered Adrien.

Fu was silent for a moment. When he spoke, it was in something of a hushed voice...

"Not all living creatures are man or woman or... Let us hope that I am wrong."

* * *

In his bedroom, Gabriel Agreste stretched out, exhausted but happy.

The events of the past few weeks had strained him to his breaking point and beyond, it was true. But he had his son back; he had his assistant back, and neither were far worse for wear for the ordeal. His folly in collecting the Miraculous had bit him as hard as it could, and he had squirmed free in the end. Even casting the wish, as harrowing an experience as it was, gave him a sense of both accomplishment and newfound humility. He had looked the universe dead in the eyes, and it had stared back at him... and he had lived to tell the tale, somehow.

 _The rest is simple,_ he smiled; _put as much of this behind me as I can, renew my bond with my son, heal my body and spirit, and learn to live again._

 _So simple. I wonder why everyone doesn't use this method?_ he laughed.

A tiny buzzing of wings told Gabriel that Nooroo had entered his room. "Hello, Nooroo, my little friend!" he called to him. "It's good to see you. I haven't seen much of you around while I've been healing."

"Oh, I've been around, watching over you. I'm definitely glad that you're feeling better," grinned Nooroo. "I'll need you to have your strength back."

"Is there anything that I can do for _you?_ " asked Gabriel. "You went through an ordeal, being part of that wish, just like I did. It can't have been easy on you."

"It was... different," Nooroo confirmed. "It opened my eyes to... a lot of things. A lot of possibilities in this world."

"Like what?" Gabriel continued. "I suspect we will have a long time to discuss such things together, now that I am... forswearing any thoughts of collecting the Miraculous again. I suppose that I am lucky that Fu Wang let me keep _you_."

"One Miraculous should be more than enough... when it is used correctly," replied Nooroo, with a strange edge to his voice. "And there is indeed one thing you can do for me, Gabriel."

Nooroo floated in front of Gabriel's face, and Gabriel noted with alarm that Nooroo's eyes were full of dark, swirling energy... like nothing he'd ever seen on the Kwami before. "In fact, I must _insist_ upon it," said Nooroo, more menacingly. "Something that I need you to repeat out loud for me... right now."

Feeling helpless, caught up in Nooroo's hypnotic gaze, Gabriel managed, "...And what is that?"

"DARKWINGS... RISE!"

* * *

THE BEGINNING...?

* * *

* * * AUTHOR'S NOTES, MEANING THAT IF YOU MADE IT THIS FAR, YOU CAN SAFELY GO HOME NOW * * *

Okay! So... welcome, all, to the end of our long and wayward saga. There are a lot fewer of you at the finish line this time around, but that's fine; those of you who _have_ read this story have been quite complimentary of it, and that's my goal. To entertain. Maybe it'll find a wider audience down the road, maybe it won't, but I'm not losing sleep over it and I'm just glad to have reached the conclusion that I'd originally had in mind.

My apologies to those who were following it and suffered through my two-month-or-so hiatus. A lot of things cropped up on the home front, including a change of employment, election season and assorted stresses, and my brain simply was not in the right place to be creative at all. If you kept the faith, bless you for that.

This story sort of spilled out of one of my Idea Bin concepts, "Keep Your Enemies Closer," a story idea in which Adrien was hit and disabled and Hawkmoth and Ladybug had to work together to find him, both super-wary of each other the whole time. I still might write that at some point and keep it closer to canon. But the more I thought about that at the time, the more this concept jumped out at me instead... I wanted an AU with recognizable characters and settings, tons of callbacks to canon, but where a couple of small changes had huge ripple effects.

Obviously, the two changes at the beginning were:

* Gabriel finds and brings home the Cat from Tibet, not the Peacock.

* Gabriel actually _listens_ to Nooroo at the beginning, and doesn't dive straight into supervillainy.

I wanted to use Nice Gabriel (and, wow, so many of you were completely _into_ Nice Gabriel!) as a pretext to drop new costumed identities on our cast, and not just Marinette. Nightingale was my favorite, needless to say, but all of my 'alternates' had their charms. As for the new heroes in the climax, don't go crazy trying to match every one of them up with established characters. Many of them were left ambiguous on purpose, either because they were meant to be people Marinette didn't know or because they just weren't going to be _used_ substantially.

A couple of them were obvious - Alix was revealed as Rabbit Transit, Anarka Couffaine was obviously Buzzbomb, I actually don't remember who I meant to be Baconator. (I think I imagined Roger as Hornhead, actually, but I didn't put effort into developing that.) Sabine as the Dragon was something I slipped in to see if anyone would catch, initially; Ladybug gasped, "FOURTEEN new heroes?" Well, four others were known to her, so where was #19?

Alya... well, she wasn't Vixen. We'll keep that under wraps in case of the very unlikely event that I ever return to this mini-universe. With other stories that I have in the pipeline, and the relative 'ehh' response from my fanbase compared to The Marinette Project and Tyger, Tyger... never say never, but I really doubt it. If some crazy person wanted to pick up the loose ends and the "hunt down the five rogue Miraculouses AND oh hell, Hawkmoth is out there now too" sequel hook, they'd have my blessing.

Poor Gabe. He did everything right, and his reward is to get brainwashed by a psychotic, corrupted Kwami. Ah, well, that's the breaks! (It does leave open the possibility for him to be freed / redeemed, if there's ever a sequel, yadda yadda very unlikely event.)

Anyway... if you've been reading this, bless you and thank you for sticking with it. My profile has its share of other stories to explore, ranging from long balls of fluff to alternative-episodes to crackfics. My new story-in-progress is "Someone To Watch Over Me," based on a wonderful comic by buggachat on Tumblr.

Bug me in the reviews / PMs if you feel so inclined. I'm always up for feedback.

\- DFC


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